Probe Exonerates Oakland Officer
OAKLAND (CBS/AP) - One of four Oakland police officers fired over accusations that they lied to obtain search warrants has been reinstated.
Terry Bowman, the attorney for Officer William Burke, told The Oakland Tribune on Friday an arbitrator decided Burke did not lie on sworn statements and ordered him to be reinstated with back pay and seniority.
Bowman said Burke is glad that the arbitrator realized the difference between a proofreading error and a lie.
Oakland officials accused Burke and 10 other officers in 2008 of lying on affidavits submitted to Alameda County judges to obtain search warrants in drug cases.
Officials say the officers falsely made it appear as if they had tested substances to determine if they were drugs.
Most of the criminal cases that relied on the searches have been dismissed.
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