Arbitrator: Stratman to be reinstated with back pay

LaCrosse Tribune – by Chris Hubbuch

The former La Crosse County Sheriff’s Deputy fired after she killed a Holmen teenager in a 2010 crash has won her job back.

In a ruling released today, an arbitrator ordered Trisha Stratman be returned to duty with back pay with more than 20 months pay.

Stratman was responding to a call for help at a Holmen bar fight in the early morning hours of July 18, 2010, when she drove through a red light at more than 90 mph just as 16-year-old Brandon Jennings was pulling into the intersection.  

Jennings was thrown from his vehicle and died at the scene.

A jury acquitted Stratman on a charge of homicide by negligent operation, but she was fired in 2011 after an internal investigation found she violated department policy.

County Administrator Steve O’Malley affirmed the firing, which led to Stratman’s appeal to the Wisconsin Employee Relations Committee.

The arbitrator ruled the county did not have proper cause to fire Stratman and instead ordered her termination reduced to a 30-day suspension, effective Oct. 9, 2011. Her return is contingent on passing a fitness for duty examination and undergoing remedial emergency driving training.

La Crosse County Sheriff Steve Helgeson was out of the office today and did not immediately return a message left on his cell phone.

O’Malley declined to comment saying the county hasn’t had time to review the ruling.

The executive director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, which represented Stratman in her arbitration, praised the decision for recognizing the burden law enforcement officers have to make split-second decisions under duress.

“Even if mistakes were made we take that high burden into consideration,” Jim Palmer said.

“It’s not lost on anyone, especially Deputy Stratman in particular, that this situation had a tragic outcome,” Palmer said. “That’s something she’s going to have to carry with her for the rest of her life.”

http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/arbitrator-stratman-to-be-reinstated-with-back-pay

11 thoughts on “Arbitrator: Stratman to be reinstated with back pay

  1. The entire fake-azz system has rendered them untouchable. The Public has not been served except as targets.

  2. Aww…Come on, guys. Just look at her face. She’s got such a cute smile. She wouldn’t hurt anyone. Yea, right. She got away with murder. Plain and simple. And she gets her old job back with backpay. What a crock of shit.The bitch needs to be imprisoned ASAP!

    ““Even if mistakes were made we take that high burden into consideration,” Jim Palmer said.

    “It’s not lost on anyone, especially Deputy Stratman in particular, that this situation had a tragic outcome,” Palmer said. “That’s something she’s going to have to carry with her for the rest of her life.””

    BULLSHIT! BULLSHIT! BULLSHIT! This is more pacifying Communist rhetoric used to tone down what had happened and to make people aware that the government (who thinks they are god and likes to play god) knows what happened without punishing the person whatsoever. It also conveys the idea that as long as the government (god) oversaw it personally and said all is forgiven for his evil minion, then everything is OK and his little minion and the people must go on with their lives.

    This is bullshit! If I did that, I would be imprisoned for life.

    1. I think she took advantage of getting into a accident and she killed a teenager knowing she would get paid vacation and she also probobly didn`t want to go that bar fight because she was too chicken to get her teeth knoked down her throat by a bunch of rowdy bikers or drunks that most likely don`t like cops 🙂 She will get hers, just wait.

  3. NO reason for her to be traveling at 90mph to a bar fight…. what a crock…

    Just more of THEM versus us…..

    1. she had good reason, Tuesday — everyone loves a good brawl.

      she wanted to get a few punches in before it was over.

  4. as a former draftee, into the US Army Police in 1968, sent to Viet Nam and survived without being shot up….
    I have this to say. She should be banned for life from any police duty what so ever. A person who does not have the basic common sense to operate a police or any emergency vehicle with reasonable, caution, has no business on the payroll…..ever…..ever…..and here this garbage is going on. Shame on the whole bunch involved with this specific incident!!!

  5. Another porker gets a pass for being stupid and killing a civilian in the process. Eff her! Hopefully some dude will pop her.

  6. Ah poor little stratman will have to live with the fact that she murdered someone by not following department policy but what does his parents and siblings have to live with for the rest of their lives? Cops should be the ones being scrutinized every minute of every day and when they kill someone due to negligence or being overzealous, get rid of them send them to jail and black ball them.

  7. I am reminded of a law enforcement insider who once told me that women cops have two ways to win departmental favors or promotions: They can be better cops than the men, or they can screw the right superiors. Look at her photo again, and make your own guess.

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