Baldwin ? Disgruntled Baldwin Police officers who last year threatened to sue city officials said they welcomed the opportunity to serve under new Chief Mike McKenna.

“My clients really like him and they are happy he’s here,” the officers’ attorney, Dennis Hawver said. “He’s very competent. He’s very professional.”

But that won’t stop the four officers from filing federal lawsuits against Mayor Ken Hayes, City Administrator Larry Paine and the city council. That lawsuit by Cpl. William B. Dempsey and Officers Eric J. Garcia, Charles W. Hensley II and Charles Woolsoncroft could be filed this week, Hawver said.

The officers say their freedom of speech and due process rights under the First and 14th amendments, respectively, were violated by city officials last year and in 2001. The alleged incidents arose from an internal investigation and subsequent actions by city officials.