ALGOOD, TN — A former Algood Police Officer will receive her settlement after she claims she was wrongfully terminated in 2015.
In October of 2015, Dana Looper was terminated from the Algood Police Department.
In retaliation, Looper filed a lawsuit against the city. Looper accused the city of Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, 1st Amendment claims and retaliation.
A settlement was reached for Looper and she was awarded $225,000.
The settlement brought surprise to most on the City Council of Algood. Many of the members were not aware a settlement was being discussed with Looper. News of the settlement reached council members by phone call the next morning.
Lisa Chapman-Fowler, Mayor of Algood said, “I was not told of the situation until it had already been settled. This is an example of how ALL city council members should be aware of what is going on in the city they serve. I’ve made plans where council members, especially myself, are aware of all litigations against our great city.”
“I applaud the Mayor for taking a strong stance on the issues and putting Algood on the right path forward,” said Looper in regards to hearing not all council members were aware of the situation. “The people of Algood elected their officials to make the best decisions possible for their city. Those officials cannot properly lead the city when administrators are not keeping them informed. It seems very troubling to me.”
When asked about the closure of the settlement, Looper had this to say, “I am thankful this case has finally concluded. A lawsuit is very stressful and time consuming. I would like to say thank you to the attorneys who handled my case. Ken Williams and Cynthia Wilson were great every step of the way. And to answer the question everyone keeps asking, yes, I miss being a police officer, but hopefully I can still help people in my new career path.”