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Bluffs gaming enforcement officer accused of hazing will be reinstated

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October 21st, 2013 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A second Iowa law enforcement officer accused of hazing a fellow recruit during a training academy in 2008 is getting his job back. A spokesman said Monday that Division of Criminal Investigation special agent Andrew Harrelson will be reinstated with pay dating back to his Feb. 6 firing. Harrelson is a gaming enforcement officer in Council Bluffs.   Arbitrator Clair Brooks ordered the reinstatement Friday in a ruling that wasn’t immediately made public.

Earlier this month, another arbitrator reinstated Iowa State Patrol trooper Joshua Guhl.  Guhl and Harrelson were fired after another trooper accused them of handcuffing him to a bed and rubbing powder on his buttocks. Guhl admitted involvement while Harrelson denied it.

The incident occurred at the 2008 academy, but the trooper didn’t formally complain until May 2012.