FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1996 (202) 616-2777 TDD (202) 514-1888 STATEMENT BY ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL DEVAL L. PATRICK ON THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S FIRST TRIAL UNDER THE ADA WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In the Justice Department's first trial under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a jury has awarded $300,000 to a former Denver police officer who was forced to retire after he had been injured in the line of duty. The jury in U.S. District Court in Denver found that the Denver Police Department had failed to reassign Jack Davoll to one of the vacant civilian jobs that he could still perform. It also found that the City had failed to show the reassignment would impose an undue hardship on the City. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Deval Patrick today issued the following statement on the victory: "Our nation's police officers risk their lives every day to enforce our laws. When an officer injured in the line of duty can no longer walk the beat but can still perform other duties, a city should not turn its back on the officer. "Officer Jack Davoll served as an outstanding police officer for more than nine years in the City of Denver. Even though he could no longer perform the requirements of that job, there were other positions which he was still well qualified for. "Davoll wanted to work; was able to work; but the City wouldn't let him. That's wrong. "By refusing to continue employing experienced people with disabilities who are able to work, a city is not only making a poor business judgement, it is violating the ADA." In addition to the jury's verdict rendered late Wednesday, Judge John Kane must still decide the appropriate job and the amount of backpay for Davoll. In a second case, Davoll and two private plaintiffs sued the Police Department for refusing to reassign them to career service positions after they became disabled. The two other plaintiffs, Paul Escobedo and Deborah Clair were each awarded $250,000 in compensatory damages. # # # 96-558