Did no one actually read the article? The officer used an official email, not a private one. I can't say what the reaction might have been had this been done entirely outside of his job, but he used a city email to make the donation.
The punishment may be an overreaction, but the use of a city email to make the donation certainly does make this work-related.
The punishment may be an overreaction, but the use of a city email to make the donation certainly does make this work-related.