The city of Myrtle Point has fired a police sergeant who had been on leave since mid-December. Sgt. Yost Espelien had been the subject of an Oregon State Police investigation into whether he had pulled a gun on a man while off duty.

Myrtle Point Police Chief Rock Rakosi said Espelien’s conduct while under investigation prompted the decision. He had worked in Myrtle Point since 2005.

Interim City Manager Randy Whobrey said it was his decision to fire Espelien, but Rakosi agreed based on his belief Espelien lied during an internal investigation.

Espelien was placed on leave on Dec. 18, after investigators began to look into an incident that occurred in late November. He was accused of pulling a gun on a man during a confrontation while off duty.

Coos County District Attorney R. Paul Frasier decided last month to not charge Espelien with a crime, but found details about Espelien’s behavior cause for concern. Frasier would not give specifics, but said his concerns revolved around whether Espelien could be called as a witness in cases.

“Things came out in the investigation concerning the credibility of the officer,” Frasier said. “I believe I could not call him as a witness.”

A letter detailing Frasier’s reservations was included in a report he sent to Rakosi and the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training in mid-January. The department certifies officers serving in the state.

Whobrey wrote a letter to Espelien outlining the reason he could no longer serve the city.

 “To testify in court on behalf of the state of Oregon in criminal proceedings is a job requirement,” Whobrey wrote. “Your preclusion from the ability to testify makes you no longer qualified to hold the position of police officer.”

At least five cases in which the former officer was a material witness have been dismissed, Frasier said. Most were traffic-related.

“They were nothing I would consider major,” he said.

Eriks Gabliks, the Public Safety Standards and Training deputy director, said his department has an open case on Espelien. Gabliks said Rakosi asked for a stipulated order — or a chance for Espelien to give up his certification voluntarily. As of Monday Espelien hadn’t contacted anyone at the department. Investigators have started the process of reviewing the case for revocation of the former sergeant’s license.

“I can’t say that it will be,” Gabliks said, “but that is the direction we are going in.”

Espelien started his law enforcement career in 1995 in Scappoose as a reserve officer. Then he moved on to the Coquille Police Department in 1997 and then the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in 1999. He resigned from Washington County in January 2005 and was hired in Myrtle Point on July 2005. Espelien was promoted to sergeant in December of that year.