The Minneapolis Police Federation filed a grievance Thursday on behalf of a homicide sergeant transferred out of his unit.

Charlie Adams was transferred last week after series of insubordination incidents, said Police Chief Tim Dolan. The final incident, the chief said, involved comments Adams made in a Star Tribune article that contradicted his boss about the beating death of a bicyclist in September.

Lt. Amelia Huffman, head of the homicide unit, said at news conference that police were told by the suspected killer of Mark Loesch that the victim was in the area to buy marijuana. Adams said no drugs were involved.

Since the transfer, Adams was told that if he apologized to Huffman he would be reinstated to the homicide unit, said Lt. John Delmonico, president of the federation. He now works as an investigator in the Fourth Precinct.

"It is clear that this transfer was disciplinary in nature and any assertion to the contrary is baseless. He was one of the division's top investigators," said Christopher Wachtler, the federation's attorney. "Adams' file is clean. He has no history of insubordination."

He added that Adams has "nothing to apologize for" and that "we are prepared to arbitrate the case if he is not reinstated, unconditionally."

"We believe the department and Chief Dolan may have more significant legal problems that will stem from the events of last week. We are reviewing our options," Wachtler said.

Adams and four other high-ranking black officers also filed a federal lawsuit against Dolan and the department this week alleging discriminatory practices and a hostile working environment. In the suit, Adams said the transfer to the less-prestigious unit was a "demotion in a very public and humiliating fashion." He also claims less-qualified white officers were promoted to sergeant before he was promoted in 2000.

"Our clients are not in the habit of apologizing to the individuals who discriminate and retaliate against them," said John Klassen, Adams' attorney for the lawsuit. "If Lt. Huffman wants to apologize to Sgt. Adams, I'm happy to communicate that to him and let him do with it what he will."

dchanen@startribune.com • 612-673-4465 tcollins@startribune.com • 612-673-1790