City Councilor says investigation that led to Tonkin's leaving WLPD was retaliation
The city of West Linn has denied the employment application of Kirk Tonkin, the former WLPD sergeant who blew the whistle on corruption and misconduct at the department beginning in 2014.
Tonkin, who applied for a current opening at the captain position, left the department in 2016 after the department conducted an internal investigation regarding what were described as improper accusations against supervising officers and "unfairly targeting and attempting to discredit" officers.
However, one member of the West Linn City Council has asked his fellow councilors to carefully consider their options after reviewing documents from the investigation of Tonkin, which he says reveal that Tonkin's ousting was retaliation for complaints he made against department leadership.
City Manager Jerry Gabrielatos wrote an email to Tonkin Feb. 25 informing him that he would not be considered for the position because of a stipulation in his 2016 separation agreement that said he could not apply for employment at the city at a later date. Four days prior, Tonkin had written to Gabrielatos and the City Council requesting the city release him from that specific clause of the agreement.
"Since my separation, the disrepute of our department has been hard for me to observe and I feel duty bound to play a role in its repair," Tonkin wrote. "I stand ready to pitch in to help my community heal and to restore trust in...
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