The review found that his decisions were not supported by the facts he had articulated at the time. It also found that his description of the encounter omitted important context, including the sequence in which he seized her wrist and her statements that she was not resisting.
Investigators then compared those findings with his prior conduct.
The review did not conclude that every earlier complaint was proven. Instead, it identified multiple incidents in which Callaway's actions and reports raised similar concerns: vague claims of suspicion, escalation after a person questioned an instruction, and descriptions of resistance that required closer examination of the actual events.
The department also found that earlier supervisory reviews had not adequately examined the cumulative pattern.
Some complaints had been closed without a detailed comparison of available evidence. Some had been treated as communication problems rather than potential issues involving the basis for detention. In other cases, the department had not documented why the evidence was insufficient to support the complainant's account.
The findings were serious.
They were also uncomfortable for the institution.
The problem was no longer limited to one officer's decision on Oakridge Drive. It involved the department's ability to evaluate conduct consistently, recognize recurring risks, and hold personnel accountable.
Callaway received notice of the administrative findings and an opportunity to respond through the established process.
He argued that the department was judging his entire career by a single encounter that had attracted unusual attention because the woman was a senior official.
But the review's conclusions rested on more than the woman's position.
The video documented the encounter. The radio traffic established what he reported at the time. Witness statements corroborated key parts of the sequence. The historical review identified similar concerns in earlier cases.
The evidence did not depend on who Chief Daniels was.
That distinction became central to the department's final decision.
The Day He Returned for His Badge
Six weeks after the arrest, Callaway was summoned to a formal meeting at the municipal building.
He arrived in civilian clothes.
His uniform had been cleaned and stored at home, but he had not worn it since the day his duty belt was taken from him. Without the familiar equipment, he looked older than he had on Oakridge Drive.
Captain Briggs sat across from him, accompanied by a human-resources representative and the department's legal adviser.
The administrative review had concluded that Callaway had violated department policy by conducting an unsupported detention, escalating the encounter without sufficient justification, using force in circumstances that did not support his stated rationale, and submitting an account that failed to accurately convey material details of the interaction.
The review also identified deficiencies in the handling of earlier complaints and recommended corrective action at the supervisory level.
The department's disciplinary process was complete.
Briggs explained the findings and the available review procedures. Callaway listened without interrupting.
When the captain finished, Callaway looked at the table.
“So that's it?”
“Your employment is terminated, effective today,” Briggs said. “You will receive the written decision and information about any applicable appeal rights.”
Callaway swallowed.
“Twenty-two years.”
“I know how long you've served.”
“I've worked holidays. I've taken calls when other people refused. I've put myself in danger for this department.”
“Those things are part of your service,” Briggs replied. “They do not erase the conduct established by this investigation.”
Callaway looked up.
“You're saying none of it matters?”
“No. I'm saying all of it matters. Your service matters. Your decisions matter. The people affected by those decisions matter. We cannot treat the good parts of a person's career as permission to ignore the bad parts.”
Callaway's face tightened.
He had expected anger. He had expected a lecture. He had perhaps hoped that his record would be weighed against the incident until the department found a way to describe it as a regrettable misunderstanding.
Instead, Briggs spoke with the same measured tone he used during operational briefings.
“Your record was considered. The evidence was considered. The department's obligations were considered. The decision is not based on Chief Daniels's rank. It is based on the findings.”
Callaway looked down again.
“What happens now?”
“You will receive the formal documents. Any further proceedings will be handled by the appropriate authorities.”
Callaway stood slowly.
At the door, he stopped.
“Captain, do you think I ever did any good?”
Briggs's expression softened, but he did not offer the reassurance Callaway seemed to want.
“Yes. I believe you did good things during your career.”
Callaway looked at him.
“Then how did this happen?”
Briggs took a breath.
“I don't know every reason. But I know that experience can become dangerous when a person stops questioning their own assumptions. I know that confidence can turn into arrogance. And I know that when supervisors treat complaints as isolated inconveniences, they can allow harmful patterns to continue.”
Callaway stood silently.
Briggs continued.