Former Bluffton officer gets $86,000 in lawsuit

BLUFFTON, S.C. (AP) — A former Bluffton police lieutenant who said she was illegally fired has been awarded $86,000 in a settlement of her lawsuit.

The Island Packet of Hilton Head reported http://bit.ly/pzlaBk that town attorney Terry Finger said the state Insurance Reserve Fund paid town fees and the settlement to 54-year-old Katherine Sours.

The town announced the settlement after negotiations last month but said the amount could not be released because of a confidentiality agreement. But the state Supreme Court has ruled that settlements involving a public body may not be sealed.

Sours said she was targeted because she complained about favoritism and unprofessional conduct in the department.

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Information from: The Island Packet, http://www.islandpacket.com