WASHINGTON (AP) — A D.C. police captain who was demoted after actor Charlie Sheen received a high-speed police escort to a performance has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the department.
Hilton Burton alleges in his suit that he was punished after the April 2011 incident for saying that police escorts for celebrities were a common practice in the city. That statement contradicted Police Chief Cathy Lanier, who said the escort broke department protocol.
His lawyer says the suit seeks at least $6 million.
Burton was demoted from commander to captain about a month after testifying before the D.C. Council and transferred from the special operations division.
Lanier has said the demotion wasn’t connected to the escort or to Burton’s testimony. She didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
