Narcoleptic police dispatcher settles case

HILLSIDE, Ill., Nov. 12 (UPI) -- A suburban Chicago police dispatcher fired after saying she suffered from narcolepsy tentatively settled her claim against the village, court papers indicated.

Kenya Madden agreed to settle her lawsuit against Hillside, Ill., for $10,001 plus undetermined court costs, the papers indicated. The town admitted no wrongdoing, the Chicago Tribune reported.

In 2007, Madden was fired about a week after telling a supervisor of her condition -- which can cause people to fall asleep unexpectedly -- before working her first shift alone.

Her lawyer said she could control the sleep disorder with medicine and never once fell asleep during training.

Police Chief Joseph Lukaszek told the Tribune last spring the village was unwilling to risk Madden's falling asleep during a call.

"We make every effort to take care of those with disabilities -- our past record stands for itself," Lukaszek said then. "But there's some things you can't do. You can't have a person with one leg be a police officer."