In June 2020, Officer Bresnahan shared a video clip from the television show ‘Paradise PD’ in a private text group with fellow officers. The video depicted a black police officer accidentally shooting himself, with a headline stating, ‘another innocent black man shot by a cop.’ Another officer in the group complained about the video. The following day, Chief of Police Rick Struttmann confronted Bresnahan, berated him for sharing the video, and pressured him to resign, threatening an investigation and potential termination if he refused. Bresnahan resigned during this meeting. He later filed a lawsuit alleging retaliation for exercising his First Amendment rights. The district court dismissed his complaint, but the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the dismissal, allowing the case to proceed. The outcome of the lawsuit is not specified in the available sources.
Brian Bresnahan – St. Peters Police Department
Written by CBKN76