VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A former sergeant with the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office is suing Sheriff Ken Stolle, alleging he was fired for political opinions.
William Fowler was placed on administrative leave in Nov. 2021 after nearly 15 years with the department. Stolle not to reappoint Fowler to his next term.
In the lawsuit, Fowler claims he was fired because of his political leanings, as well as those of his wife, a Democrat representing House District 21, which includes parts of Chesapeake and Virginia Beach.
Sheriff Stolle released the following statement to News 3.
“I have not been served with this lawsuit and so I cannot comment on any specific allegations contained therein; however, I can assure you that any claim by William Fowler is completely frivolous. All constitutional appointees understand that they serve at the pleasure of the constitutional officer who appoints them and, as constitutional officers, sheriffs in Virginia have absolute authority to appoint their staff. I lost confidence in William Fowler’s ability to serve the community, lead as a supervisor, and uphold my values and expectations as Sheriff. For those reasons, I did not appoint him to my staff in 2022.”
Sheriff Ken Stolle
Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office
