Lang
11/23/24
A West Liberty firefighter arrested in 2023 after a dispute with police and fired after a later sexual harassment allegation is now suing the city.
Paul Reed claims in a federal lawsuit that he was placed on administrative leave in September of 2023 due to what he calls “vague allegations of misconduct”. 11 days later he was told he was being investigated for sexual harassment. He was fired the next month.
Reed claims city officials denied him access to statements from other members of the department that he thought would have allowed him to refute the allegations. When he finally saw the statements, he claims they were “subjective interpretations” of his behavior rather than actual facts.
Reed also claims that during a September 2024 meeting between city officials…including Reed’s fiancée, West Liberty city councilor Dana Dominguez…City Manager Lee Geertz admitted to mishandling the investigation, including “issues” with Police Chief Eric Werling. Werling left to take the police chief position in Anamosa around the time of Reed’s firing.
Reed was arrested in June of 2023, months before the sexual harassment accusation. West Liberty Police claim they were trying to contact Dominguez about her juvenile daughter being assaulted. Reed allegedly refused to put Dominguez or her daughter on the phone, and refused to set up a time for officers to interview them in-person, telling them he and Dominguez didn’t want to pursue charges. Reed was arrested for Harassment of a Public Official, but he was found not guilty after Dominguez testified that she and her daughter never had any intention of filing charges.
In his lawsuit, Reed is seeking $155,000 and reinstatement to his job.