Baldwin ? The city of Baldwin has bluntly rejected demands for monetary compensation to four Baldwin Police officers who say their rights were violated during a department investigation last year.

The officers, who each are seeking $300,000 in damages, will take their cases to federal court, said their attorney, Dennis Hawver of Ozawkie.

The officers, Chuck Woolsoncroft, Chuck Hensley, Eric Garcia and Cpl. Bill Dempsey, recently received letters from Baldwin City Atty. Robert Bezek saying there were no facts to justify their claims.

“I think we have a good case,” Hawver said Monday. “I put a very high priority on enforcing their constitutional rights.”

In March the officers, through Hawver, sent notices they would file lawsuits unless the city paid them $300,000 each.

They said their rights to freedom of speech and due process were violated during a lengthy investigation into the department last year.

The investigation led to various disciplinary actions against several officers, including some suspensions.

Last month, longtime Police Chief Steve Butell resigned. He wrote a letter to city officials saying he was leaving for the good of the department and the community.

The officers’ claims are without merit, Bezek wrote in letters to Hawver about each of the officers. Bezek also wrote that the city’s disciplinary action against the officers for misconduct had been “reasonable.”

If the city is sued, it will seek payment for attorney’s fees from the officers, Bezek wrote.

Hawver called the letters threatening and insulting.

“It just simply hardens my resolve,” Hawver said. “These four guys have stuck together. We aren’t intimidated.”

Hawver said it might be late September before he files the lawsuits. He said he wanted to do some more research. The lawsuits will be filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., he said.