Megan Atkinson

Megan Atkinson is an Associate in the Los Angeles office of Liebert Cassidy Whitmore, where she provides advice and counsel regarding a variety of employment law matters. She focuses her practice on public safety employment issues, including the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act and the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights Act. She regularly assists clients throughout the disciplinary process, from the initiation of an investigation through termination.

Contact:

New Ruling Expands Liability for Using Excessive Force and Broadens the Basis for Disciplining Police Officers in California

By Megan Atkinson on March 4, 2021

Posted in Public Safety Issues

In 2017, a police officer with the City of Huntington Beach (“Officer Esparza”) saw a man standing on a sidewalk who caught his attention (“Mr. Tabares”). Officer Esparza noticed Mr. Tabares wore a sweater on a warm day, walked abnormally, made flinching movements with his hands, and looked in his direction several times. A former…

A SWAT Sniper’s First Amendment Rights Impact a Police Department’s Ability to Discipline Him For a Facebook Posting

By Megan Atkinson on January 26, 2021

Posted in Constitutional Rights, Employment, First Amendment, Social Media, Workplace Policies

In 2015, someone shot a police officer and a suspect was later arrested. While off-duty, a SWAT sniper commented on a friend’s Facebook post which linked to an article about the shooting. He wrote, “It’s a shame he didn’t have a few holes in him.” An anonymous tip came in about the post, there was…