DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – An arbiter has ruled that a Daytona Beach police officer fired over accusations by local coffeehouse employees must be rehired and given all his back pay.
Lt. Major Garvin, a 15-year veteran, was fired in July 2008. Starbucks employees claimed that since June 2007, Garvin had visited the store as many as six times a night while on duty. Besides demanding free drinks, workers complained that Garvin also cut in front of paying customers. Chief Mike Chitwood says Garvin was fired after failing a polygraph test that he insisted on taking.
Arbiter George Mayer criticized an internal affairs investigation and ordered that Garvin be rehired.
Garvin says he was elated when he learned of the ruling.
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