Sitka and police officer agree to $325K settlement

SITKA, Alaska (AP) –
An Alaska city has agreed to pay a former detective $325,000 to settle a lawsuit in which he claimed to have been punished for speaking out about problems in the police department. The Daily Sitka Sentinel reported Officer Ryan Silva’s lawsuit against Sitka also says he was penalized for taking time off for periodic Coast Guard Reserve duty. The municipality has denied all claims and did not admit liability in the agreement settled through mediation in October. Silva’s lawsuit says his treatment by the city was a violation of the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act.