The University of Colorado police sergeant who pleaded guilty in a stalking case two months ago is still on paid leave and has received more than $83,000 in back pay as CU reviews his case — even though his conviction all but guarantees he’ll no longer be able to work as a police officer.
Sgt. Michael Dodson, 60, pleaded guilty to first-degree official misconduct, a misdemeanor, on May 14 in a plea deal with Boulder prosecutors that saw the dismissal of a felony stalking charge. He was sentenced to 18 months of probation and 100 hours of community service.
First-degree official misconduct is among the misdemeanors that lead to the revocation of Peace Officer Standards and Training certification, meaning Dodson will not be able to remain a police officer in Colorado.
Yet because Dodson is a state classified employee, CU’s police department must go through certain state protocols before levying any disciplinary action, Boulder campus spokesman Ryan Huff said.
Furthermore, Dodson initially was charged with felony stalking, which meant the department could put him on unpaid leave. But now that he has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, CU was required, under state personnel rules, to place him on paid administrative leave while it goes through the disciplinary process.
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