QUINCY, Fla. (WTXL) — Former Quincy Police Chief Carlos Hill has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Quincy, alleging he was fired in retaliation for reporting misconduct and conducting investigations into potential wrongdoing.
The lawsuit, filed this week in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, claims the city violated the Florida Whistleblower Act and Hill's First Amendment rights. Hill is seeking damages, attorney’s fees, injunctive relief, and reinstatement.
Hill served as Quincy’s police chief until his termination on Feb. 4, 2026.
According to the complaint, Hill began reporting misconduct, policy violations, and operational concerns within the Quincy Police Department in 2024 and continued raising concerns throughout 2025. The lawsuit alleges those reports included concerns about employees bypassing the chain of command, unauthorized investigations, and conduct that exposed the department to legal liability.
The complaint also references Hill's testimony in a federal civil rights case involving the city and an Internal Affairs investigation he later directed into allegations of unauthorized investigative activity.
Much of the lawsuit centers on events that occurred days before Hill's termination.
According to the complaint, Quincy resident Paula Phillips reported to police on Feb. 2 that Mayor Pro Tem Michael Stephens entered her property without permission and made statements she viewed as threatening. The lawsuit alleges Hill notified City Manager Roger Milton about the complaint before initiating an investigation into the allegations.
Hill claims Milton declined to provide guidance or take any action regarding the report despite being informed of the allegations involving a city official.
The lawsuit states officers later contacted Stephens as part of the investigation. Stephens denied that his interaction with Phillips was threatening.
The following day, Hill was called to a meeting with Milton and Human Resources Technician Carolyn Bush and was informed that he would either need to resign or be terminated, according to the complaint.
Hill alleges he was never disciplined, placed on a performance improvement plan or formally warned that his job was in jeopardy before his termination.
The lawsuit identifies Milton and Stephens as key figures in the events leading up to Hill's firing and alleges the city retaliated against him for protected whistleblower activity and speech on matters of public concern.
Hill publicly challenged the circumstances of his termination during a Quincy City Commission meeting a week after he was fired, saying he had not been notified of leadership concerns and that no formal evaluation of the department had been conducted before his removal.
Hill's termination was one of several leadership changes within the city this year. Earlier this month, Quincy appointed former Gretna Police Chief Brian Alexander as its new police chief. Alexander became Quincy’s third police chief in less than three years.
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