Mpls City Employees Face Misconduct Charges

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Two Minneapolis city employees face misconduct charges for allegedly accessing driver's license and vehicle registration data unrelated to any official business, court documents filed earlier this month say.

Thomas Deegan, 60, of St. Anthony and Michael Karney, 55, of Minneapolis both face one count of misconduct. Both are on administrative leave, the city's communications department said.

Paul Aasen, the city coordinator, said that the charges contain serious allegations.

"As an employer, the last thing you ever want to hear is that someone on your staff may have done something inappropriate or illegal," Aasen said.

He added: "Minneapolis is committed to building and maintaining a workforce with people who work hard and act professionally and ethically on the job. The public holds us to a high standard, and our job is to hold people accountable if they cross that line."

According to criminal complaints, allegations of misuse of Department of Vehicle Services (DVS) information led to audits of both Deegan and Karney.

An audit found that Deegan accessed non-assignment-related records in the years 2009, 2010 and 2011. The complaint also said the practice dated back to 2005.

As for Karney, who is a city housing inspector, the audit showed he accessed non-assignment-related records in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

If convicted of misconduct, which is a gross misdemeanor, Karney and Deegan face a maximum sentence of one year in prison and/or a $3,000 fine.