The labor union representing high ranking police officers today filed a complaint against Mayor Ted Wheeler and his chief spokesperson, over Wheeler's decision earlier this week to share a human resources memo while reinstating Police Chief Mike Marshman.

Complaining of "a shocking disregard for the due process right of a city employee," the Portland Police Commanding Officers Association (PPCOA) now says that release ran afoul of city rules, and hung one of its members, Lt. Mike Leasure, out to dry.

"That release has corrupted the well-established processes to ensure fairness and impartiality in evaluating member conduct and has done irreparable personal damage to Lieutenant Leasure," says a release from PPCOA President Craig Morgan, a Portland police lieutenant.

Here's where this is coming from: Both Marshman and Leasure were placed on leave last month, after allegations surfaced that Marshman had directed Leasure to sign the chief into a training he didn't actually attend. As we reported earlier this week, an investigation found that Marshman denied giving that order, and that Leasure ultimately recanted his statement that he'd been directed to fudge the chief's attendance.

How do we know that? Because Wheeler released an initial findings memo from the city's human resources director, Anna Kanwit, saying as much.

The problem, in the PPCOA's mind, is that Leasure is still under investigation.

Marshman was investigated by the city's Independent Police Review, which is a wing of the City Auditor's Office. But because this city's police oversight system is a confusing garbage labyrinth, allegations against Leasure are being investigated by the police bureau's Internal Affairs unit, and still underway.

So Morgan and the PPCOA are saying the mayor screwed over Leasure by airing details of the investigation into he and Marshman. The union demanded an apology from Wheeler, asking him to say he "mistakenly" released the memo.

The mayor has made no such apology.

"The Mayor's office determined that the public interest required the release of this information to ensure transparency, given that the matter being investigated involved high ranking police officials," says Wheeler spokesperson Michael Cox, who is also the subject of the complaint.

The complaint itself amounts to a short email to Kanwit, in which Morgan says Wheeler and Cox "committed a clear violation" of a city rule against sharing sensitive information.

That rule reads, in part: "Employees shall not disclose restricted or confidential information by any means except in accordance with Human Resources Administrative Rules, City Technology Policies, bureau-specific policies and regulations or when required by law."

The union clearly feels Kanwit's memo was covered under the rule.

Here's the PPCOA's full release.

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Police Commanding Officers Association (PPCOA) has filed a complaint with the Bureau of Human Resources (BHR) against Mayor Ted Wheeler and his communication director, Michael Cox, for violation of Administrative Rules regarding protection of confidential information.

On April 12, Mayor Wheeler’s office released an initial findings memorandum from BHR Director Anna Kanwit regarding the investigation into Chief Michael Marshman and Lieutenant Michael Leasure. While the Mayor’s office made the decision to return Chief Marshman to work, the confidential administrative review of Lieutenant Leasure is being handled by the Police Bureau’s Internal Affairs office and is still ongoing. This memo was sent via email to the entire Police Bureau.

At the beginning of the investigation, communication restriction orders were issued to all involved members to protect the integrity of the investigation. The Mayor’s office, however, felt it was appropriate to release Ms. Kanwit’s memo before the investigation was complete. This decision displayed a shocking disregard for the due process rights of a city employee. It also stands in direct contradiction to the statement by the Mayor’s office at the time the decision was originally made to place Chief Marshman and Lieutenant Leasure on administrative leave. At the time, the Mayor’s office stated, “Both Chief Marshman and Lieutenant Leasure have the right to due process and are assumed to be innocent of any wrongdoing while the investigation is underway.” Finally, we believe the decision to release the memo was a clear violation of both Bureau of Human Resources Administrative Rules and the PPCOA collective bargaining agreement.

That release has corrupted the well-established processes to ensure fairness and impartiality in evaluating member conduct and has done irreparable personal damage to Lieutenant Leasure. The PPCOA asked the Mayor to take steps to mitigate the damage by issuing an apology for mistakenly releasing the memo. He has declined to do so.

Mayor Wheeler placed Chief Marshman and Lieutenant Leasure on administrative leave when he became aware that they were the subject of allegations of serious misconduct. We look forward to seeing if he holds himself and his staff to the same standard.