ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando police officer who took a bullet to the head during the Pulse nightclub terrorist attack is now facing termination.
Mike Napolitano hasn't been back to duty since the attack, and the helmet that saved his life is now on display inside the Orlando Police Department.
Napolitano said he received a phone call Thursday morning letting him know that he will be let go.
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Orlando city policy states officers have a time limit to return to duty and Napolitano's time has run out.
He is one of about a half dozen officers who are getting letters notifying them if they don't come back to full duty, they risk termination.
Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon said that he made sure Napolitano got a heads-up call.
Rolon said he understands that the situation is difficult, given the fact that Napolitano was shot by a terrorist, but the city policy applies to all officers.
In June 2016, Omar Mateen appeared in a hole that Orlando police SWAT team members made in the back of the Pulse nightclub to rescue hostages.
Mateen had already killed 49 people and shot dozens more.
Napolitano and others fired and Mateen fired back, hitting Napolitano in his ballistic helmet.
The helmet saved his life, but that was just the beginning of what has been a long road for Napolitano.
He was offered what is called an alternative duty position. Officers can usually stay there for about a year after that they must return to duty or risk being fired.
Napolitano came back for a short time but left again after a doctor said he wasn't ready for duty.
It has been three years, and he still has not been medically cleared or told he was permanently not fit to return.
Rolon said he doesn't think in the end Napolitano will be fired and this could all be worked out. But it has to be done in the next few weeks, or he will be let go.
That means he would not be paid until all of this works out, and there is no telling how long that could take.
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