An Ohio police captain has now been fired after he had a button on his uniform that supported legalizing marijuana.
Vermilion Mayor Eileen Bulan said that Captain Michael Reinheimer broke departmental rules by campaigning on a political issue while on duty at a police auction.
The police department said that his firing was based on multiple recent incidents, though Reinheimer is appealing his termination and plans to sue the city if it is denied.
The officer’s case first came to light earlier this month when he was suspended for wearing a ‘Legalize 2016’ pin.
His story came right after Ohio voters rejected a ballot initiative that would have legalized marijuana in the state for recreational and medicinal use.
Reinheimer, who says he supports marijuana legalization because his wife has epilepsy and some studies have shown the drug can be used to prevent seizures, wore a pin for a potential initiative for next year’s ballot.
Following his suspension, he wrote a Facebook post where he gave out the mayor’s office phone number and asked for support from those who supporting legal marijuana.
Vermillion Police Chief Chris Hartung said that the sixteen-year veteran was fired for far more reasons that the button snafu.
Reinheimer said he plans to challenge his firing, but also said that some of his recent issues may be because he started taking an antidepressant called Celexa.
‘Looking back on it, I was probably doing some goofy stuff,’ he told The Chronicle Telegram, saying that the drug’s side effects include recklessness.
Read More: Vermilion police captain fired
