WINNEMUCCA — The Winnemucca Police Department officer who was terminated last year after a DUI arrest will be reinstated following arbitration.

According to City Manager Steve West, the city received the arbitrator’s determination on Tuesday (June 15), which indicated the termination was not warranted based on the facts of the case.

The city has agreements with all three of its bargaining units that makes arbitration binding between the parties.

Morgan was not terminated specifically for the DUI, but because his driver’s license was revoked almost immediately after the DUI arrest.  A driver’s license is one of the minimum requirements for the job classification Morgan was in, West noted.

The arbitrator determined a demotion would have been more appropriate.

Morgan will return to the department but will be demoted from the sergeant’s position to a patrolman (step 10).  He will receive back pay starting from Sept. 8 (45 days after the DUI arrest) minus any pay earned elsewhere during the same period.

Personnel issues are generally not considered public information. The city was prevented from releasing details of the arbitration or any negotiations that occurred between the city and Morgan personally.

Morgan was not immediately available for comment.