Lindgren v. City of Crystal

Decision Date09 February 1973
Docket NumberNo. 43649,43649
Citation204 N.W.2d 444,295 Minn. 557
PartiesRobert LINDGREN, Appellant, v. CITY OF CRYSTAL, et al., Respondents.
CourtMinnesota Supreme Court

Weaver, Talle & Herrick, and James D. Gibbs, Minneapolis, for appellant.

Dabe J. Shama, City Atty., Crystal, for respondents.

Considered en banc without oral argument.

PER CURIAM.

This is an appeal from a judgment of the District Court of Hennepin County affirming the decision of the Civil Service Commission of the city of Crystal, Minnesota, discharging relator, Robert Lindgren. Relator had been employed by the city of Crystal as a police officer for 14 years, attaining the rank of lieutenant.

On January 27, 1970, in the company of another officer who was similarly charged, he spent the day with an informant endeavoring to ascertain facts concerning burglaries in the Crystal area. It is an accepted practice for police officers while interviewing informants to meet in bars and to eat and drink with them. Each officer had consumed intoxicating liquor with the informant during the day. A meeting with the informant was scheduled later the same evening at a supper club in the Crystal area, but the informant did not appear. While awaiting the arrival of the informant, the officers consumed more liquor.

The charges against relator were precipitated by his unprofessional conduct while undertaking to act as a police officer at the club. A patron had complained to relator that minors were in the club, a complaint which proved to be inaccurate. Relator summoned Crystal police officers to the club and, upon their arrival, assumed leadership in conducting a check of the patrons. The commission found that relator conducted himself in a manner unbecoming an officer, that he was drunk in a public place while purporting to act as a police officer, that he unlawfully harassed and interfered with private persons in the club and with the management of the private establishment conducting a lawful business, and that his conduct was such as to bring ridicule and disgrace on the government of the city of Crystal and its Police Department. Prior to these events, relator's record was clear of any major infractions.

Upon these findings the commission ordered relator dismissed from his employment with the city of Crystal. Upon appeal to the District Court of Hennepin County, the court found that the evidence reasonably supported the findings of the commission and affirmed its order dismissing relator from his...

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5 cases
  • Dietz v. Dodge County
    • United States
    • Minnesota Court of Appeals
    • 6 Agosto 1991
    ...this action. The trial court relied on Dokmo v. Independent School Dist. No. 11, 459 N.W.2d 671 (Minn.1990), Lindgren v. City of Crystal, 295 Minn. 557, 204 N.W.2d 444 (1973), and Sellin v. City of Duluth, 248 Minn. 333, 80 N.W.2d 67 (1956) to dismiss this action. We find these cases The Mi......
  • Keller v. Independent Sch. Dist. No. 742
    • United States
    • Minnesota Supreme Court
    • 20 Diciembre 1974
    ...by substantial evidence on the record; not within its jurisdiction; or based on an erroneous theory of law. Lindgren v. City of Crystal, 295 Minn. 557, 204 N.W.2d 444 (1973); Krakowski v. City of St. Cloud, 257 Minn. 415, 101 N.W.2d 820 Affirmed. 1 The Elementary and Secondary Education Act......
  • Foesch v. Independent School Dist. No. 646
    • United States
    • Minnesota Supreme Court
    • 2 Agosto 1974
    ...by substantial evidence on the record; not within its jurisdiction; or based on an erroneous theory of law. Lindgren v. City of Crystal, 295 Minn. 557, 204 N.W.2d 444 (1973); Krakowski v. City of St. Cloud, 257 Minn. 415, 101 N.W.2d 820 This does not mean this court cannot review the reason......
  • Village of Lakeville v. Village of Farmington
    • United States
    • Minnesota Supreme Court
    • 12 Octubre 1973
    ...an erroneous theory of law or acted arbitrarily and unreasonably without the support of substantial evidence. Lindgren v. City of Crystal, 295 Minn. 557, 204 N.W.2d 444 (1973); Village of Goodview v. Winona Area Ind. Devel. Assn, 289 Minn. 378, 381, 184 N.W.2d 662, 664 (1971). We find nothi......
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