Former Rusk Police Chief Alleges Wrongful Termination, Disability Discrimination
January 16, 2026
Staff Reporter
RUSK, Texas — The termination of Rusk Police Chief Scott Heagney has sparked controversy after his attorney released a statement alleging the city unlawfully fired him in violation of state and federal disability protections.
Heagney, a nearly 40-year law enforcement veteran, was dismissed on January 16, 2026, according to a press release issued by his legal counsel. City officials reportedly informed Heagney’s attorney that the termination was due to his alleged unavailability during duty hours while on administrative leave and his failure to request alternative leave.
However, Heagney’s attorney disputes that explanation, calling it pretextual and asserting the firing was the culmination of illegal disability discrimination related to the city’s handling of a required Fitness-For-Duty Exam (FFDE).
According to the statement, the city ordered Heagney to undergo a psychological FFDE in late 2025, citing concerns related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that Heagney has previously acknowledged stemming from a 2003 fire investigation. His attorney argues that the PTSD disclosure occurred months earlier and had not interfered with his ability to perform his duties as police chief.
The press release states that Heagney and city officials cooperated in identifying an evaluator and scheduling the exam. The selected date, January 22, conflicted with a previously scheduled out-of-town job interview. Heagney’s attorney requested that the city reschedule the exam, offering more than 10 alternative dates. According to the statement, the city had not responded to those requests before terminating Heagney.
The attorney also alleges procedural violations surrounding a January 15, 2026, special City Council meeting, claiming the council improperly discussed Heagney’s employment in executive session without identifying him by name, potentially violating the Texas Open Meetings Act.
In addition to disability-related claims, the press release suggests the FFDE order followed Heagney’s refusal to halt an investigation into whether two sheriff’s deputies improperly received compensation from a school district while simultaneously serving on the school board. The attorney further notes that Heagney had recently reported the county sheriff to state licensing authorities, though the statement says the city would likely deny any connection between those events and the termination.
SHR.202615.press release
Heagney’s attorney asserts that the termination violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, the federal Rehabilitation Act, and the Texas Labor Code. The statement calls on the mayor and city council to immediately reinstate Heagney or, at minimum, return him to the payroll while the FFDE is rescheduled.
