ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — News 8 spoke with the lawyer of Greece Police Officer Casey Voelkl– the former deputy chief. He has filed a lawsuit against the Town of Greece, the police department, Supervisor Bill Reilich, and the deputy supervisor. This is for what he claims is retaliation against him following the DWAI crash of former police chief Drew Forsythe.

Forsythe pleaded guilty in 2021 to driving while ability impaired (DWAI) and leaving the scene of an accident, all of this in his police vehicle. According to the lawsuit, at about 2 that morning, Deputy Chief Voelkl got a phone call at his home on this incident.

“Deputy Voelkl went in the next morning, first talked to the Chief about 8:30, and things were not adding up that day,” said his attorney, Maureen Bass with Abrams Fensterman.

Then-Chief Forsythe claimed he hit a deer but we’re told, that story just didn’t add up to Voelkl. The lawsuit says other officers were also raising concerns, and Voelkl decided to ask the District Attorney’s Office to do an independent investigation.

“He thought that somebody else needed to come in and take an independent look at this,” said Bass.

Bass says Voelkl was just trying to do the right thing. She says Voelkl is a graduate of the FBI Academy and is a ‘by the book’ kind of guy. Voelkl was one of the first officers suspended as this all unfolded. 

Bass says Voelkl was demoted from Deputy Chief to patrolman and put back on the streets… a position he held almost 20 years ago when he first started. In all of this, she said there was no due process for Voelkl, adding this entire affair has ruined her client’s reputation. 

“He’s just destroyed. It’s just destroyed him. It’s not just the demotion, it’s not just about money, it’s about a guy, he was a Boy Scout. He always did the right thing. For almost 20 years he put his life on the line for the Town of Greece. And then he gets ‘perp walked’ out of the office. They meet him at the office, they take his gun, they take his badge, they strip him of his uniform, and then walk him out of the police station like he’s a criminal,” said Bass.

Voelkl is seeking $2 million in damages and to be restored to his former position as deputy chief.

News 8 reached out to the Town of Greece and the Greece Police Department. Both have declined to comment at this time.