Ex-Henderson police volunteer sues city, alleges retaliation for supporting fired chief

A former Henderson Police Department volunteer is accusing the city of Henderson and a top city official of retaliating against him for public comments criticizing the firing of former police chief Hollie Chadwick.

Jeff Crampton alleged in a 20-page complaint filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court that officials in Henderson stripped him of volunteer duties and canceled a Henderson police community service award intended for him after City Manager Stephanie Garcia-Vause, the lawsuit said, falsely told a police committee he was under investigation for fraud after speaking at City Council meetings in support of Chadwick, who was fired by Garcia-Vause in March.

The lawsuit alleges Garcia-Vause defamed Crampton, who is also a real estate agent and political action committee president, and harmed Crampton’s real estate business that deals primarily with first responders, nurses and teachers, and that she and the city violated Crampton’s First and 14th Amendment rights. It’s at least the second suit concerning the dismissal of a Henderson police volunteer over their support for Chadwick.

Attorney Ravi Chanderraj of Paul Padda Law is representing Crampton, as well as the separate case of former Henderson police volunteer Amanda Swartz, who filed a federal lawsuit in July claiming she was dismissed for being critical of the city. The lawsuit brought by Swartz is still being litigated, but Chanderraj said he’s heard from other Henderson employees who feel a “culture of retaliation” exists within the city’s government.

“They’re similar cases that involve retaliation but they have their own legitimate reasons for wanting to move forward,” Chanderraj said in a phone interview Wednesday. “But I think both people also recognize this is an issue that is pervading the city government right now where a culture of retaliation exists.”

A City of Henderson spokesperson could not immediately be reached.

Speaking out against Chadwick firing

Crampton claims the city and Garcia-Vause began retaliating after he spoke at three City Council meetings throughout February and March to voice support for Chadwick and oppose the city’s handling of police operations. Crampton additionally cited petitions he organized to reinstate Chadwick, including one that had amassed more than 2,100 signatures.

Days after Crampton criticized city leaders at a March 18 City Council meeting for what he said was a failure to provide a reason for Chadwick’s firing, Crampton alleged he received a call informing him that a Henderson police service award recognizing Crampton’s volunteer service was cancelled because Garcia-Vause told the committee in charge of the award that Crampton was under investigation for fraud. Crampton in the filing maintains he has never committed fraud and was not under investigation when Garcia-Vause made the claim.

Crampton in the lawsuit said Garcia-Vause was likely referencing a 2024 complaint filed with the Nevada secretary of state’s office against the political action committee he oversees, Voters for Trusted Leadership. That election integrity violation report, filed by former Henderson Councilman John Marz, alleged the PAC incorrectly categorized funds used to purchase mailers and text message communications to support the campaign of then-candidate Monica Larson.

Garcia-Vause “maliciously” mischaracterized the report Marz made as a fraud investigation in order to justify the cancellation of Crampton’s award with police, according to the lawsuit.

“The Secretary of State complaint against Voters for Trusted Leadership does not mention (Crampton) and does not include any allegations of fraud,” the lawsuit filed Tuesday states. “The Secretary of State investigated the complaint and determined that the violation was a clerical error, directing the PAC to correct it. The PAC remedied the error by amending its filings shortly after receiving notice of the Secretary of State’s determination.”

Relieved of volunteer duties

Crampton also said he was notified Sept. 4 he was no longer allowed to volunteer as a role player for Henderson police training exercises, despite having more than a decade of volunteer experience at the department and other law enforcement agencies across Southern Nevada, according to the complaint.

Crampton eventually became a “trusted resource” for real estate matters for Henderson Police Department personnel, and his relationship with the department is “integral to his livelihood as a real estate agent,” the complaint said.

Henderson council members further attempted to humiliate Crampton and further harm his reputation by including him in remarks during a special meeting Nov. 24 to censure Henderson Councilwoman Carrie Cox, according to the complaint. Cox last month pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of monitoring or attempting to monitor a private conversation, and her censure came after a Metro report related to the indictment outlined other allegations.

Crampton’s name was included, but redacted, from Metro’s report, according to the lawsuit. Nonetheless, Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero and others on the council named Crampton while discussing alleged misconduct by Cox in an “obvious attempt” to link Crampton to Cox.

Crampton is seeking attorney’s fees as well as compensatory and punitive damages.

The city of Henderson had not yet filed a response in court.

Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reviewjournal.com.