Community Rallies Behind Fired Dixon Police Chief At Hearing

DIXON (CBS13) — A community gathered in support of the city's former police chief as they learned for the first time why Jon Cox lost his job.

An emotional former chief of police spoke candidly about being stripped of his duties in October. He asked for a public hearing following his termination, and it drew an overflowing crowd.

The city manager's office presented its side, saying the 31-year veteran of the police force had lied under oath during a deposition about allegedly violating work restrictions related to a work injury in July of 2014.

The city showed surveillance video from March showing Cox lifting heavy furniture that violated his requirement of no lifting, pushing or pulling of more than 25 pounds. They said Cox lied when asked about it and said the last time he lifted furniture was in 2014.

Cox's attorney refuted the claims, saying the deposition questioning was misleading and his answer was taken out of context. The surveillance video was from a charity auction where Cox was helping raise money for the Dixon Teen Center. While he may have lifted a few items he shouldn't have, his attorney contended most of the items were small.

After hearing both sides, the public overwhelmingly stood up for their former chief.