Fired Clermont police officer just got job back

CLERMONT, Fla. — Eyewitness News discovered that a Clermont police officer just got his job back, more than a year after he was fired.

Cecil Garrett was accused of lying about a traffic stop, but an arbitrator ruled that he never did.

Documents stating the City of Clermont did not have just cause to discharge Garrett say he is to be returned to duty as soon as practicable.

Clermont police fired Garrett in 2011, accusing him of lying and trumping up charges against a driver he pulled over.

Garrett denied he lied, and in the ruling the arbitrator said Clermont did not conduct a fair investigation.

Stephen Graham was police chief at the time. Many claim he retaliated against a group of officers who complained to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement about alleged corruption. Garrett was among that group. All the officers were fired.

Graham resigned last year after city leaders called for an independent investigation into his agency.

As for the other officers, some have filed suit against the city and those cases were still pending when Channel 9 last checked.

WFTV