North Platte Housing Employees Fired For Reporting Tenant with Active Sex Assault Warrant

[Mavric]

Two employees of the North Platte Housing Authority fired Tuesday after doing what they say was the right thing.

 

This is a question of morality versus legality.

 

The pair say they are shocked that they have been fired for turning over a potential tenant with an active warrant for sexual assault of a child to the authorities.

 

Chris Holley and Laurie Demilt spoke with News 2 Wednesday, a day following their termination.

 

They believe they did the right thing turning over information to the authorities about a potential tenant that had an active warrant.

 

Information they obtained following a background check.

 

Background checks for potential tenants is common practice for the Housing Authority.

 

They say Director for the Housing Authority, J.D. Bennett did not want the information to come out, Holley and Demilt acted against those wishes and now they are unemployed.

 

KNOP

[rawhide]

Whistle blowing doesn't always turn out well for the whistle-blowers. Even though protection is supposed to be afforded them.

[Mavric]

I know what you're saying but this probably doesn't fall under whistle-blower laws. I think those more apply to reporting improprieties within your company/organization. This was only reporting something they found out about someone outside through their work. Their boss didn't want it reported and they did anyway.

[Mavric]

The problem I have with situations like this is it seems like more and more the perpetrators are protected more than the victims.

[strigori]

Not turning the guy in when they had knowledge of a person with an active criminal warrant could leave them open to legal problems also. That house authority manager needs to lose his job.

[huskerenner]

Hopefully they didn't lose their jobs for nothing,and the alleged pedo is behind bars.

[NUance]

Why does it not surprise me that this happened in North Platte?

[carlfense]

Why does it not surprise me that this happened in North Platte?

Might be the only town in Nebraska that is worse than Fremont?

[carlfense]

My prediction: these two get their jobs back with a new boss.

[NUance]

Why does it not surprise me that this happened in North Platte?

Might be the only town in Nebraska that is worse than Fremont?

If it's not the only worse town, it's on a pretty short list. A short nasty list.

[Mavric]

My prediction: these two get their jobs back with a new boss.

I would tend to agree.

[sd'sker]

it makes no sense that they would get fired for this. they acted with public knowledge. is there some landlord/tenant confidentiality i know nothing about? and even so, this would probably be a worthy exception.

[StPaulHusker]

The worse part about it is if they didn't say anything and this piece of sh#t did something illegal in that place and then was found out to have a sex assault warrant, those people would have been fired for not saying anything. They were doomed either way.

 

There is no job or price tag worth your morals or piece of mind. Good for them for saying something.

[Micheal]

Glad they did the right thing

[The Dude]

Turns out the lady that got fired is my cousin's ex-wife. Thought that name seemed familiar when I first read this.