Fort Worth OKs $1.12 Million Payout in Police Whistleblower Showdown

The Fort Worth City Council has signed off on a roughly $1.12 million settlement to end a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit filed by a senior police commander, quietly approving the payout on its consent agenda on Tuesday. The decision closes a multiyear fight between the city and Capt. Paula Conaway, with city documents noting that the deal wraps up litigation tied to internal investigations, body-worn camera audits, and disciplinary timelines.

The council authorized an appropriation and payment totaling $1,116,936 for a “full and final settlement” of Conaway v. City of Fort Worth, listed as M&C 26-0438 on the June 9 meeting agenda, according to the City of Fort Worth agenda.

What Conaway Alleged

According to her lawsuit, Conaway was assigned in February 2021 to close an internal affairs investigation into an officer and the investigation window expired, which left her in a position to issue only a written reprimand instead of a more serious punishment. The complaint says her later audits of body-worn camera footage, along with recommendations for remedial training, angered some patrol officers and were followed by retaliatory moves, including her reassignment to a newly created captain position.

Those allegations, along with department rules that govern how quickly complaints must be filed and investigated, are laid out in local reporting on the case, as reported by Fort Worth Report.

A Pattern of Payouts

This is not the first time Fort Worth has written a large check to make whistleblower claims go away. In 2024, the council approved roughly $9.6 million to settle lawsuits brought by a former police chief and two IT employees, including a $5.2 million payment to ex-Chief Joel Fitzgerald, a track record that has sparked questions about how the city handles internal complaints and the mounting public cost of drawn-out legal battles, according to The Dallas Morning News.

City and Plaintiff Reaction

City Attorney Leann Guzman told reporters the city “determined settling was the most effective and responsible use of public resources,” while also stressing that Fort Worth denies liability in Conaway’s case. Conaway’s attorney, Susan Hutchison, countered that Conaway was “treated very badly” and welcomed the council’s vote to approve the payout. Those comments were reported in local coverage of the settlement, as reported by Fort Worth Report.

Legal Details and What Comes Next

The settlement listed in the council packet identifies the case as No. 236-355396-24 in the 236th District Court, Tarrant County, and describes the payment as a full and final settlement of all related claims under M&C 26-0438. With the appropriation now approved, the agreement is expected to resolve Conaway’s claims and lead to dismissal of the pending state court case, unless there are unusual post-settlement filings. For the official authorization language, see the City of Fort Worth agenda.

The payout closes this particular chapter in Fort Worth’s legal history but keeps the spotlight on bigger issues inside the police department, including how internal oversight works, how bodycam footage is audited, and how discipline is handled. City leaders are framing the move as a pragmatic way to stop the financial bleeding, while Conaway’s supporters see the settlement as validation of her push to hold officers accountable.