Judge rules it was valid to fire officer over sick time lie

EASTAMPTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) - A judge in New Jersey agrees with a township police department’s firing of a police officer over charges that he lied about using sick time.

Michael Musser, a former Eastampton Township patrolman, was fired from the department on Oct. 23, 2017. NJ.com reports he was scheduled to work a night shift that would have conflicted with a flight to Orlando, and called out sick.

Internal affairs initially sought a five-day suspension for the misuse. At an administrative hearing, Musser’s girlfriend testified they planned to take a later flight that wouldn’t have conflicted, but Southwest Airlines employee testified there was no later scheduled flight.

The judge agreed with the decision to fire Musser after the hearing, saying police officers should be truthful.

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Information from: NJ.com, http://www.nj.com