Former St. Pete Beach Police Officer Sues Police Chief

Todd R. Brien is filing a lawsuit against the former St. Pete Beach Police Chief David Romine and the St. Pete Beach City Manager after he was fired, according to Tampabay.com.

Brien said he was fired after he was spoke out against the move to the Sheriff's Department in St. Pete Beach.

Brien was terminated nine days after he wrote an e-mail to Mayor Steve McFarlin about a July 4th traffic accident  on the Corey Avenue Bridge that he responded to and was told it was Sheriff's problem due to it's location. 

Brien told the McFarlin that the people involved in the accident waited on hold for ten minutes before getting a response from the Sheriff's Department.

McFarlin proceeded to forward the email to a St. Pete Beach Police seargent stating that the publicity, in either opinion, was unacceptable.

Brien was fired on July 19th for failing to satifactorily pass his probationary period.

Four former St. Pete Beach seargents have written letters defending Brien.