The Minneapolis City Council took the rare step of rejecting a six-figure workers compensation settlement on Monday for a former Minneapolis Police Department sergeant with a controversial past. 

Sgt. Andrew Bittell was poised to receive a $145,000 payout in what has become a fairly routine process under a revamped state law.

But the city rejected the settlement and voted to send it back to legal staff for review.

It’s unknown what Bittell’s claim is regarding; however, many officers have said they suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder since the murder of George Floyd.

Bittell was the leader of the SWAT team involved in the high-profile takedown and arrest of Jaleel Stallings five days after the murder of George Floyd.

“All right, we’re rolling down Lake Street and the first f***kers we see we’re going to hammer them with 40s,” Bittell is heard saying on body camera video, referring to less-lethal rounds.

The team fired one of those rounds at Jaleel Stallings, who testified that he returned live rounds in self-defense not knowing they were police officers.

Stallings was charged with attempted murder but was acquitted by a jury, in part because police reports did not match body camera and surveillance video.

The city eventually paid out a $1.5 million settlement to Stallings, and one of the officers, Justin Stetson, was charged with assault this year and offered a public apology. 

But Bittell has not charged and or disciplined. 

“If we deem his actions as acceptable, but not holding him accountable for the things that he’s done, the officers under him learn and believe that it’s okay to repeat the same actions that he did as well,” Stallings said in an interview on Monday.

As of late Monday, Bittell’s claim remained in question. The City Council took the rare move of referring the payout back to the legal staff.

The city attorney’s office even warned that they may not have a choice.

“Prior misconduct is also largely not relevant to whether an employer is obligated to pay benefits,” said Erik Nilsson, deputy city attorney. 

A city spokesperson said that the rejection of the settlement will be reported to the full City Council at its next meeting. If the full council votes to reject it again, both sides will return to litigation.