Police Officer Fired for Egging Home

An officers with the Carrollton Police Department, along with three civilian employees with the department, have been fired for egging a house.

According to authorities, in May, police investigated a criminal mischief case in which the Carrollton home of Steven Benzer was pelted with eggs. The damage has since been cleaned.

The investigation determined that five adults were responsible for the act of vandalism, and four of them were police department employees. They include officer Jennifer Cackler and dispatchers Ashley Cackler, Laura Anderson and Laken Schifelbein.

It is believed that the employees were tired of Benzer's repeated complaints about a neighbor. That neighbor may be friends with the former officer. "It was an act of retaliation," Benzer said. "I believe the officer involved, Jennifer Cackler, had an inappropriate relationship with the woman with whom I've complained."

"I have a long history with Ms. Cackler," Benzer said. "She was the officer that began responding to my complaints about eight months ago."

CBS 11 News spoke with the neighbor. She claims that there is no relationship between her and Cackler.

While CBS 11 News was on the scene, police had to be called to another dispute between Benzer and a different neighbor, who alleged that Benzer was stalking her with a camera. "He's always harassing everyone in the neighborhood," said one resident.

On Thursday, the Carrollton Police Department confirmed that all four of the department employees have been fired. "Some people may say it was egg-throwing, it was juvenile behavior," said the Carrollton Police Department's assistant chief Mac Tristan. "Do you want your police that respond to your emergency call to be engaging in this type of behavior? And the answer to us is no."

"I'm happy that they found the person," Benzer said, "but at the same time, I'm very disappointed that a public servant is responsible for this."

However, some neighbors actually support the fired officer. "I don't agree with her tactics," said Diana Swadley. "I think they were very poor judgment on her part. I don't know that firing was necessarily the resolution to this situation."

The egg-throwing offense is a misdemeanor, the equivalent of a traffic ticket. The officer will be able to appeal the firing.