NYPD: Police Whistleblowers Who Claim Retaliation Aren’t Covered
by First Amendment Because It’s Part of Their Job  getting
olderNYPDThe New York Police Department is facing a lawsuit from
Craig Matthews, a police officer who alleges he was retaliated
against for the blowing the whistle on street stop quotas in his
precinct. Matthews is seeking First Amendment protections for
his whistleblowing, but the NYPD is arguing, as it and other
police departments have before, that Matthews’ whistleblowing,
reporting misconduct, was part of his official duties and so not
subject to protection.  The argument, police departments say, is
supported by a 2006 Supreme Court ruling, Garcetti v. Ceballo.
Richard Ceballos was a district attorney in Los Angeles who
claimed he was denied a promotion after criticizing a search
warrant for being riddled with misrepresentations; the court
ruled as a public employee statements made in the course of his
employment did not enjoy First Amendment protections. Police
departments have, oft