LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – Former Lafayette Police Officer and Interim Police Chief Wayne Griffin was reinstated to the LPD at a hearing before the Lafayette Fire and Police Civil Service board today.

Griffin was fired for lying during an investigation amid reports of sexual harassment. The board unanimously overturned Griffin's firing, and instead suspended him for 90 days without pay from the date of his termination, Jan. 20.

Griffin is reinstated at the rank of sergeant effective immediately.

The board ruled that the Lafayette Consolidated Government did not act in good faith, and fired Griffin without cause.

According to his termination letter, Griffin was accused of giving false information during a pre-disciplinary hearing on Jan. 13.

That hearing stemmed from a complaint to Human Resources on Oct. 18, 2021 from an employee of the Lafayette Police Department.

The handwritten statement, which detailed sexual harassment claims, was delivered to HR by a male supervisor as told to him by virtue of his position from a lower ranking female police officer.

In today's hearing, Griffin admitted sending 17 text messages which resulted in the sexual harassment complaint, which he had previously denied, and apologized for his behavior.

In the four-page termination letter, although heavily redacted, Interim Police Chief Monte Potier outlined behavior from Griffin that broke various rules within the Lafayette Consolidated Government‘s policies and procedures and the Lafayette Police Department’s general orders.