Former La Vergne officer suing city after sex scandal

LA VERGNE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A former La Vergne police officer involved in a recent sex scandal within the department has filed a lawsuit against the city.

Former officer Lewis Powell is suing the city of La Vergne, Mayor Jason Cole, LAPD HR Director Andrew Patton and Former Police Chief CHIP Davis.

In January 2023, five officers were fired and three suspended after a sex scandal within the department was made public. The investigation alleges a group of La Vergne officers had sexual relations with a fellow officer while on duty and sent explicit photos to each other.

Powell was fired and argued in his lawsuit he was given unfair treatment based on his race. He claims the other officers who were allowed to stay on the force are white.

Click here to view the lawsuit.

“They terminated and defamed all the officers involved — except for those who were white and male — based at least partly on racial prejudice.”

Powell claims in the lawsuit he casually dated a woman within the department for a short time and did not violate any city policy and if he did, he was never disciplined for it.

After the department and Mayor Cole learned about the woman having relationships with other officers in the force, the lawsuit claims, “aroused with righteous indignation that his officers had committed fornication under his watch, Mayor Cole and Director Patton determined to get to the bottom of the situation and uncover every juicy detail.”

Former Chief Davis is accused of receiving explicit messages and knowing of the sexual misconduct, but not reporting it or disciplining anyone involved. He was fired hours after being placed on administrative leave in early February.

Powell is asking for a jury trial, back and front pay and $3 million in damages plus attorney fees.