The former University of Cincinnati police officer who has been indicted for murder in the fatal shooting of Sam Dubose during a routine traffic stop has posted bail, and a union representative has filed a grievance demanding that he be reinstated with the school's Police Department.
Thomas Fehr, a representative of the Fraternal Order of Police-Ohio Labor Council, told the Cincinnati Enquirer that the grievance was filed Thursday on Tensing's behalf and with his consent. "We filed the grievance, No. 1 because there was no just cause, and No. 2 because he was not afforded his due process rights under the contract," Fehr said.
Based on the contract, the university has until Aug. 6 to hold a hearing at which the university could give Tensing his job back or decline. If the university opts not to give him his job, the case would go to arbitration, a process that could take up to six months, according to the Enquirer.
"The contract language says that if you're going to discipline an employee for anything that involves loss of pay, suspension, demotion or termination, the university is required to have a predisciplinary conference with the employee. That was not done," Fehr said. "They are also required to give the employee a copy of the formal charges, and that was not done. They just fired him and didn't follow due process."
Tensing was arrested Wednesday for the fatal shooting of Dubose during a traffic stop. Tensing stopped Dubose on July 19 for not having a front license plate. Recently released footage from a body camera worn by Tensing shows the 25-year-old officer asking Dubose several questions. At one point, it appears that Dubose tries to take off. Tensing fires one shot, hitting Dubose in the head. He died at the scene. Tensing was arraigned on murder charges Thursday, with his bond set at $1 million. He posted bond the same day, according to the Enquirer.
Two other university police officers, Phillip Kidd and David Lindenschmidt, have been placed on administrative leave. Although it is unclear why these officers were placed on leave, according to several reports, the speculation is that the two are being disciplined because their accounts of the shooting did not match the body-cam footage of the incident.
Read more at the Cincinnati Enquirer.