Lewis files complaint against Ronan

RONAN – A former candidate for police chief filed a grievance with the state Human Rights Bureau claiming the city of Ronan officials discriminated against him because of his age.

Ronan Mayor Kim Aipperspach twice invited to Dennis Lewis, 72, to apply for the job of police chief, according to the complaint filed June 12.

Lewis, who has 45 years of professional law enforcement experience, wanted to help the city stabilize its police department, which is now the focus of a federal civil right suit.

“I think they want to hire young people who they can tell what to do,” Lewis said. “They need to so they can keep things covered up.”

The complaint states that City Councilman Chris Adler told Lewis that his age, “came up several times,” during the council’s meeting on the subject of hiring a police chief.

The Human Rights Bureau will investigate the complaint and the state Office of Administrative Hearings can determine damages, said Bureau Attorney Tim Little. The damages could be for lost wages, emotional distress and for affirmative relief, meaning the city waould have to remedy the reasons for the discrimination, Little said.

“I have not reviewed this case,” Little said. “But the city should take this very seriously.”

Lewis does not have a state credential to serve as a sworn officer in Montana but he said he can get one within a year, which would be required by law.

He also said the city could hire him as a “Safety Officer” who can serve as an administrator for the beleaguered department without being a sworn officer.

The Montana Public Safety Officer Standards requirements all peace officers must meet. At least two of Ronan’s full-time officers did not meet those standards, according to state records.

Lewis’ complaint comes in the wake of a civil lawsuit filed against Aipperspach, the Police Department and its former chief Dan Wadsworth on behalf of a Tribal member and Ronan resident Anthony Chaney who was arrested by one of the un-certified officers about a year ago.

The bureau has 180 days to complete and investigation, according to its website. From there, the process continues through a series of hearings and potential appeals until a judgment is made.

The grievance continues the city’s struggle with maintaining a stable police force.

Wadsworth served as chief for 13 years until he was suspended for falsifying facts to get his son, Trevor, hired as a Ronan Police Officer, according to state records.

At the Jan. 21 city council meeting , officer John Mitchell was selected to replace Chief Valent Maxwell, who was removed from his post at the Jan. 7 council meeting after serving 11 weeks.

In June, a group of attorneys, including the CSKT Public Defenders Office, filed a civil rights lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Missoula on behalf of Tribal member Anthony Chaney, because Trevor Wadsworth illegally arrested him in 2013.

City council considered hiring Lewis or Mitchell for the chief’s position but decided in June to advertise the position for someone who either has state credentials or can obtain them within a year, according to a city official.