A fired Austin Police commander gets his job back, a decision reached Monday by an independent arbitrator.

Commander Larry Oliver was indefinitely suspended in March by Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo for not reporting to a supervisor about a controversial statement made by another commander.

"I've been on the force for 24-years now and to have something like this happen in this point in my career was really disappointing" said Oliver from his attorney's office Monday afternoon.

The chief gave Oliver an option of a 30-day suspension or face the possibility of termination. 

"We wanted to give him 30-days off,” said Acevedo.  “He felt that he didn't deserve any time off, or very little time off, and basically what the arbitrator has said is basically that 20-days was the appropriate penalty."

Oliver's troubles began in October 2007 when A.P.D. Commander Calvin Smith made a statement to him suggesting that Sgt. Mary Hesalroad wouldn't get a transfer she wanted because she's a lesbian.  Oliver later told a subordinate about the statement.

Chief Acevedo has always maintained that Oliver's punishment was appropriate and not too harsh.

"I stand before you today saying that we made the right decisions for the right reasons and if we had to do it all over again tomorrow we would do the same thing." says the Chief.

Oliver is expected to show up for work Tuesday morning where he'll sit down with Chief Acevedo and other assistant chiefs.

The arbitrator also decided that Oliver should get five months back pay.