$10,000 Settlement Reached Between City of Portland and Former Police Officer

The Portland City Council, at its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday night, unanimously approved a ten-thousand-dollar settlement agreement with former Portland Police Officer, Paul Toman.

Officer Toman was terminated from his employment with the City on April 22, 2019 for allegedly violating Department Policies. Those alleged violations have not been made public. Mr. Toman, who had worked as a Portland Police Officer for about two years, contested his termination and denied any wrongdoing. The Police Officers Labor Council (Union) appealed the grievance to binding arbitration to be conducted under the rules of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. An impartial Arbitrator was agreed to but the City and Toman agreed to a settlement of all issues raised by the grievance and any and all claims regarding Mr. Toman’s past employment with the City.

Thomas H. Derdian, Attorney at Law with Michael R. Kluck and Associates in Okemos, represented the City in Settlement Agreement negotiations with Mr. Toman and the Police Officers Labor Council (Union) and has provided the Portland Beacon with a copy of the approved Settlement Agreement and Release.

As part of the Settlement Agreement Mr. Toman’s termination was rescinded and he was allowed to submit a voluntary resignation of employment from the City effective December 4, 2019. The City then accepted his resignation. The City agreed to provide all prospective “non-law enforcement employers” and all potential “law enforcement employers outside the State of Michigan” with a neutral reference letter that shall only state: “Paul Toman was employed by the City of Portland as a police officer from February 28,2017 until his resignation on December 4, 2019, last earning the wage of $24.48 per hour”.

City Manager Tutt Gorman and Police Chief Star Thomas declined further comment on the matter to the Portland Beacon.