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WEST VALLEY CITY — West Valley City officials announced Wednesday that they will appeal a decision overturning the demotion of a former police lieutenant who oversaw the department's troubled drug unit.
In August, John Coyle was demoted from a lieutenant to a patrol officer. Coyle was head of the department's Neighborhood Narcotics Unit that came under heavy scrutiny after the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Danielle Willard during an undercover drug operation in 2012. The ensuing investigation resulted in 126 state and federal felony cases being tossed out of court because of credibility concerns.
Coyle appealed his demotion to the city's civil service commission and two weeks ago received word that his demotion had been overturned. The commission decided that Coyle had committed "technical violations" of policy, but the severity of his demotion was "disproportionate to his conduct" and was "not consistent with the treatment of other officers for similar conduct."
Coyle was ordered to receive back pay amounting to about $20,000.
Wednesday, in a brief two-sentence statement, West Valley City announced that it will appeal the decision.
"Accountability is the key to restoring public trust and West Valley City stands behind its disciplinary action to demote John Coyle from lieutenant to officer," part of the city's letter states.
A hearing before the civil service commission for one of the officers accused of shooting and killing Willard, Shaun Cowley, was continued for a third time last month.
