Police sergeant fired over encrypted hard drives

Sgt. Francis Rawls, a 17-year veteran of the 16th District, was fired by the police department for conduct unbecoming an officer after being held in contempt by federal authorities for refusing to decrypt his personal hard drives.

No further information about the decryption order was available. Rawls is not officially charged with a crime. His lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.

Police made the decision Tuesday and announced it Wednesday.

Rawls was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals on Sept. 30 after he was ordered held in contempt for refusing an order to decrypt his personal hard drives, including a Macbook Pro and an iPhone 6.

In June, the city authorized a $68,000 settlement in a case that alleged Rawls and several other officers beat a 14-year-old boy while breaking up a house party in 2013.