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Long Legal Fight Ends, Cariol Horne To Receive Her Police Pension

BUFFALO, NY (WBFO) - Former Buffalo Police Officer Cariol Horne will receive her full pension, as a long legal fight came to a close Tuesday.

State Supreme Court Judge Dennis Ward issued a decision that overturned a previous court ruling that upheld her firing almost 13 years ago.

Horne had been dismissed after a November 2006 incident in which she has maintained she tried to stop fellow officer Greg Kwiatkowski from choking a man during an arrest. The two officers started fighting and an internal investigation cleared Kwiatkowski.

In 2008, an arbitrator found Horne guilty on 11 of 13 internal charges. She was fired, a year shy of the 20 years of service needed for a full police pension.

She began a lengthy legal challenge, culminating with Ward's court decision, which also restores back pay.

Last year, the City of Buffalo also approved Cariol's Law, which requires officers to step in if another officer is thought to be using excessive force on a suspect, and provides protections for whistleblower officers.