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Former SLO, AG cops fail to get their jobs back

August 7, 2015

justiceTwo former police officers fired by the cities of San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande respectively will not get their jobs back, an California appellate court ruled Thursday. [Tribune]

The appellate court issued rulings in the separate cases of Dan McDow and Albert Beattie. McDow was fired from the San Luis Obispo force in 2010 after he was arrested at the Mexican border for bringing misbranded prescription pills into the United States.

Beattie, a former Arroyo Grande sergeant and officer of the year, lost his job in 2009, after he repeatedly refused to take psychological exams. Beattie was ordered to take the exams after questions arose about his judgment regarding when to use a gun.

In both cases, the cities overruled administrative hearing officers who said the officers should not have been fired.

McDow and fellow officer Armando Limon attempted to bring more than 800 pills, including both uppers and diet pills, into the country. McDow pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges, but he sued to get his job back.

San Luis Obispo Judge Martin Tangeman ruled against McDow in April 2014. McDow appealed the decision, and his attorney argued that the former officer did not know he was committing a crime by bringing the pills across the border.

Beattie was officer of the year in 2006. The same year, he fatally shot a man who led officers on a 100 mile chase from Atascadero to Gaviota.

The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office, though, said the shooting was “clearly justified.”

In 2008, Beattie made a comment about not having a clear line of fire through a window at an elderly couple’s house. Another officer reported the comment to Chief Steve Annibali.

For nearly a year, Annibali ordered Beattie to undergo mental fitness-for-duty exams. The chief then fired him.

Beattie took Arroyo Grande to court in December 2013 and lost. He appealed, arguing the city should have imposed a lesser penalty, rather than fire him, given his positive performance evaluations.


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I met the Officer (Jensen is his name) who reported Bettie. If you can get fired on the word of a whack like him, then we should be concerned about who we piss off in the work place. Just think of that one weird guy or girl in the office making comments about you (Demi) and said something that an independent party found untrue. Then you get fired because your boss wants you to go to see a psychiatrist… what would you do?


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Jensen didn’t get Bettie (sic) fired. Beattie did it all by himself. All that Beattie needed to do to keep his job was take and PASS the psych evil.


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Psychology can be very subjective, and often times psychiatrist can’t agree even after evaluating the same circumstances. Why should this guy, or any employee, be subjected to an examination of any kind after an independent arbitrator already said the dismissal was wrong? If they don’t like what the Psychiatrist say’s, then what, another unreasonable hoop to jump through? and another…


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You either didn’t read or didn’t understand the decision. The arbitration was after Beattie failed to follow orders to cooperate in the exam. And the doctor who attempted to examine him had found him fit for duty twice before. Do you want an officer patrolling the streets with a gun when he’s done his level best to prevent the department from determining whether he is emotionally fit for duty?


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If it meant keeping a job that I really liked and I knew there was no problem in talking to a doc I’d do it.


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Same comment… I’m not in a union or anything, but when is it OK to let an employer force you to do something to keep your job especially after being told you did nothing wrong.


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“…after being told you did nothing wrong.” BS!


Beattie knew that he was wrong, he just didn’t like the consequences of his actions.


“He appealed, arguing the city should have imposed a lesser penalty…”


BTW, insubordination is a really bad thing for LEOs.


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So what, Unlisted, Just do what ever they tell you or be considered insubordinate? Especially to a Chief with this guys questionable past? Where in this did Beattie admit he was wrong, he just wasn’t the passive sheep you would like him to be… I’m over this. I hope he has another avenue to appeal, maybe the whole truth will come out,because it seems like were not getting the whole story here.


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Good! They don’t deserve shit!


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Makes you wonder how Mason got his job back.


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lol….there is no hearing when private citizens lose their jobs…..


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Beattie, Officer of the year. Lenny Jones Citizen of the year. Sounds like the City Of Arroyo Grande has problems.


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They’re giving Atascadero a run for its money!


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“his attorney argued that the former officer did not know he was committing a crime” are we not always told ignorance of the law is no excuse,


Only in the public sector can your boss tell you to do something for over a year and you refuse to do it and then you finally get fired. Thank you unions.


And now that they lost are they being help responsible to reimburse the taxpayers for all costs?


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Some cops believe that they have the right to smuggle drugs into the country.


As it is, McDow got off easy compared to a civilian.


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