The one of its former police officers for workers' compensation insurance fraud after she collected more than $600,000 when she allegedly faked a head injury.

The Westminster City Council unanimously voted to recover all of the funds paid to former officer Nicole Brown as well as hold her accountable for the breach of public trust. The lawsuit is seeking repayment of all disability and medical payments, benefits and other funds they claim she unlawfully obtained.

"This former police officer has betrayed the public trust. We owe it to our residents and to the honest, hard-working officers in our police department to seek to recover these funds," said Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen. "Our residents count on us to protect their taxpayer dollars and ensure that employees who are actually injured receive the support they need to recover. Fraud will not be tolerated in Westminster."

The with 15 felony counts of workers' compensation and insurance fraud.

On March 21, 2022, while Brown was on the job, she suffered an abrasion on her forehead while attempting to arrest an "uncooperative suspect," prosecutors said. After the incident, Brown told her watch commander she had a headache and was feeling dizzy.

She was examined at an emergency room and was released back to work without restrictions. Several days after Brown was diagnosed with severe concussion syndrome and was placed on Total Temporary Disability, the city of Westminster said.

While Brown was collecting disability, she ran two 5K races, went to Disneyland, attended the Stagecoach Music Festival, went snowboarding or skiing in Big Bear and Mammoth, played golf and attended baseball games, prosecutors allege. They claim she failed to describe the true nature of her injuries. 

If convicted on all counts of the criminal case, Brown could face up to 22 years in prison.