NORTH PLAINFIELD, N.J. (1010 WINS) -- A former police officer is suing the North Plainfield Police Department for firing him after he sought treatment for an addiction to medication he was prescribed for a work-related injury.
In July 2020, Francis Steinhauser, 35, admitted himself to an in-patient rehabilitation program at Shatterproof in Florida — a rehab center that specializes in first responders.
A March report from the New Jersey Attorney General's Office said Steinhauser was fired for "statutory misconduct" stemming from multiple insubordination violations, failure to obey orders and absence without leave.
He has worked as a police officer since 2013, according to his LinkedIn account.
