(1/27/06 - KTRK/HOUSTON) - It was a dramatic end to a high speed chase -- a driver going the wrong way slammed into a car with a baby inside. One memorable figure from that day was an HPD officer who openly complained about the department's chase policy.

"It makes me embarrassed to be a police officer when we are afraid to do our jobs and our jobs are to protect the public," said HPD Officer Thomas Nixon after the chase.

Officer Nixon is now suing Houston's police chief. He's currently off the street and on desk duty, taking police reports by phone. By department order, he cannot comment publicly on the investigation against him, but now in federal court, he's letting a lawsuit do the talking for him.

The lawsuit claims that Nixon's right to free speech to express his opinions has been violated by the Houston Police Department. Exhibit A is a memo sent the day after Nixon publicly criticized HPD's chase policy. An assistant chief of internal investigations ordered Nixon not to make public statements about ongoing investigations.

Then, the memo says "In your capacity as a private citizen, I'm reminding you of your continuing duty to not make statements that tend to bring reproach, discredit, or embarrassment to the department."

That, Nixon's attorney, says goes too far.

Nixon's lawsuit also claims civil rights violations, alleging that he is suffering demotion on the job because he voiced his opinion. A spokesman for the Houston Police Department says Police Chief Harold Hurtt won't have a comment on the lawsuit until he sees a copy of it.

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perfect timing due to another car crash that happend a week to the day after the one he was in, and yes it was another criminal in a stolen on running. a child is on life support at this time due to it. cry:

look at my next post.