New Hampshire’s Supreme Court upheld the decision to keep a Concord police officer’s name on the state’s law-enforcement misconduct list after she misplaced her firearm and later concealed details about the incident.
The case involves an unnamed female officer, referred to as Jane Doe, who, in 2013, realized her gun was missing from the firearms locker at the Concord Police Department.
When questioned, she failed to provide truthful information about what happened, according to court documents.
An internal investigation found that it was “more likely that [the plaintiff was] lying about this incident because she believed she would have been in trouble if she properly reported this to the on-duty supervisor.”
After the investigation, the city terminated her employment, and the police chief recommended her inclusion on the Exculpatory Evidence Schedule, also known as the Laurie List, which identifies officers with credibility issues that could impact future cases.
The officer later challenged the decision. The Merrimack Superior Court ruled in favor of the city and police department, prompting her to appeal to the New Hampshire Supreme Court.
In her complaint to the Superior Court, she alleged gender discrimination and wrongful termination.
The October release of the Laurie List includes 253 officers, 75 of whom have notified the Department of Justice that they’ve filed lawsuits—leaving about 17 cases still pending. Officers can appear on the Laurie List for a wide range of reasons, including falsifying records, issues of truthfulness, excessive force, or even criminal conduct.