Oklahoma Cop Fired For Writing Ticket To 3-Year-Old Boy Wants His Job Back
An Oklahoma police officer fired after giving a ticket to a 3-year-old boy now claims that he deserves his job back and is willing to fight for it.
Piedmont, Okla., officer Ken Qualls, 45, issued a ticket to a 3-year-old boy named Dillan for urinating on his own lawn on Nov. 4. Qualls gave the public urination ticket to Dillan’s mother, Ashley Warden, along with a fine of $2,500, according to NewsOK. Warden reportedly led her son to a spot in the yard to relieve himself.
Piedmont Police Chief Alex Oblein said Qualls was in the area because neighbors had complained about unidentified people playing loud music, tossing around beer bottles and urinating on vehicles.
Presumably, the neighbors did not suspect a toddler to be involved with any of these crimes.
After news broke that Qualls had issued a ticket with a $2,500 fine over the bodily functions of a 3-year-old child, Piedmont's citizenry came out in support of the Wardens. The city ultimately decided not to enforce the ticket, and Qualls was fired on Nov. 16.
Mayor Valerie Thomerson supports Qualls' firing and said she has personally responded to more than 200 emails complaining about the officer’s actions. She received no emails in his defense.
“I will not defend stupid,” Thomerson said to NewsOK. “I will defend the police and the police department, but not this officer's action.”
Qualls, though, wants his job back. The officer has 18 years of experience in law enforcement and believes that he was simply doing his best to keep the city orderly.
“He is disappointed with the city because he put his life on the line for the city every day,” his attorney Jarrod Leaman said. “This is an overreaction to the ticket being written.”
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