By Jamie Ross | Courthouse News Service
Two detectives in the Florence Police Department claim in court that they were fired after reporting that a lieutenant in the department returned evidence to suspects in criminal investigations.
Walt Hunter and Jarris Varnrobinson sued the Town of Florence, Police Chief Daniel Hughes, former Town Manager Himanshu Patel, Mayor Tom Rankin, Lt. Terry Tryon, and Town Manager Charles Montoya, in Federal Court.
Florence, pop. 27,000, is southeast of Phoenix.
Hunter and Varnrobinson, who say they are close friends, were detectives until Dec. 14, 2012, when they both were fired.
The two often shared a squad car and investigated cases together, and referred to themselves as “the biracial Siamese twins,” the lawsuit says. Hunter is white, while Varnrobinson is black.
