Reinstated Butler police sergeant back on city payroll
A Butler police sergeant who was fired last year has been back on the city payroll since an arbitrator ordered his reinstatement with back pay on Jan 30.
City Council voted 3-2 to terminate 20-year department veteran Sgt. William Mayhugh nearly a year ago for allegedly punching a prisoner in the Butler county Prison on Feb. 12, 2017.
He filed a grievance through the police union, arguing that he acted within the scope of his authority. Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger reviewed a video of the incident and determined criminal charges were not warranted.
Arbitrator William Miller heard both sides of the case in a hearing Oct. 9 in city hall and ruled Jan. 30 that the city did not have just cause to terminate Mayhugh, who has been working as a county deputy sheriff since September.
Mayhugh and council members met in executive session during Tuesday's council meeting.
He declined to comment on what transpired during the closed-door meeting.
Mayor Ben Smith said the meeting was about a personnel matter and there would be “no decisions forthcoming from the city.”
“The city decided to abide by the arbitration award,” solicitor Tom Breth said Wednesday.
Read more about this story in Friday's Butler Eagle.
