Piedmont Officer Fired After Writing Controversial Public Urination Ticket

Piedmont police have fired the officer who ticketed a mom $2,500 after her son urinated in their front yard.

11/5/2012 Related Story: Piedmont Mom Gets $2,500 Ticket After Son, 3, Urinates In Front Yard

After allegedly being harassed by this officer, the Warden family got justice. The $2,500 ticket was dropped, the police chief personally apologized, and the officer was disciplined.

Both the mayor and the police chief said the officer should have used better judgment. Veteran officer Ken Qualls was suspended on Tuesday, and he was fired on Friday.

"I can't say that I am happy for that, but I am happy that it was looked into and perhaps his judgment was in question. I don't know the particulars of the hearing," said Jennifer Warden, the toddler's grandmother.

In fact no one does, both the mayor and police chief refused to comment, stating it was a personnel matter.

"We did feel like he was out of line, but we never intended to cost him his job," Warden said.

The officer appealed the dismissal to the personnel board.

The mayor did give us a statement Monday night,

"Embarrassment and humor aside, Piedmont had no choice but to look quite seriously at the lack of judgment in this incident."

11/6/2012 Related Story: Piedmont Police Chief, Mayor Respond To Controversial 'Public Urination' Ticket