CASPER - The town of Glenrock has fired two police officers involved in last month's controversial use of a stun gun against a 76-year-old man at a parade.

Town officials announced the firing in a written statement Tuesday morning.

"After considering all aspects of the unfortunate event which occurred after the parade during Deer Creek Days this year, the decision has appropriately been made that the two Glenrock police officers involved are relieved of duty," the statement read.

Officials say they made their decision after consulting with the town's attorney and reviewing two investigations conducted in the wake of the incident.

The officers, Sgt. Paul Brown and Officer Mike Kavenius, are appealing the decision, according to their attorney.

The men had been on paid administrative leave following their Aug. 1 confrontation with Glenrock resident Bud Grose while he was operating an antique tractor at the parade. During the encounter, Kavenius used his stun gun on Grose multiple times.

Grose's family and supporters have repeatedly said the officers overreacted during the incident, which began when the retired truck driver failed to obey police orders at the end of the parade route. The stun gun use sparked outrage among many Glenrock residents, who protested the officers' actions at a heated town meeting a week after the encounter.

Grose, who was not arrested or charged in connection with the incident, told The Associated Press, "Hopefully this will kind of help bring the community together and be an answer to a lot of questions and problems."

Grose's son, Mike, said the officers' firing will help the town move forward. "I think it was the only thing that would solve the problem," he said. "There are just too many people who saw it and too many people who are up in arms about it."

John Robinson, the attorney who represents Brown and Kavenius, said the officers were disappointed by the town's decision.

"They stand on the previous public statements made on their behalf, and want to thank the numerous individuals in Glenrock, around the state and throughout the country who have supported them during this time," he said in a brief statement.

In his past statements, Robinson said Grose ignored repeated commands from the officers and shouldn't be treated as a "folk hero." He also said the officers behaved appropriately and should be allowed to resume their jobs.

Converse County prosecutors cleared the officers of criminal wrongdoing in late August following a Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation review of the incident. An outside investigator hired by the town performed his own internal review to determine whether the officers violated department policies.

Town officials have kept the results of the internal investigation confidential.

Mayor Steve Cielinski and Police Chief Tom Sweet did not respond to messages left Tuesday seeking comment. In a public statement made shortly after the incident, Sweet said, "We probably didn't do things the best way we could have."

The confrontation between Grose and the officers began while Kavenius was directing traffic during the Deer Creek Days event.

Kavenius tried to direct Grose's tractor off Birch Street, the main route through town, but the older man didn't comply, according to the DCI report.

Investigators received conflicting information about whether the tractor hit Kavenius as it passed, or merely drove around the officer.

After the tractor drove away, Brown picked Kavenius up in his patrol vehicle. The officers caught up with Grose less than a half-mile away, and Brown pulled in front of the tractor. The two vehicles collided.

Witnesses gave differing accounts on whether the tractor was stopped at the time Brown pulled in front of it.

The officers ordered Grose to get off the tractor and warned him that he would be shocked with a stun gun if he ignored them, according to Sweet's description of the report. Grose refused.

According to the officers, Kavenius fired his stun gun after Grose engaged the tractor while Brown was standing in its path.

In Mike Grose's account, Kavenius jumped out of the patrol vehicle and took a swing at Bud Grose after the tractor struck the patrol vehicle. He said his father couldn't get off the tractor because that required him to turn his back on the officers while they were trying to hit him.

Mike Grose eventually talked his father off the tractor.

Contact Joshua Wolfson at 307-266-0582 or at josh.wolfson@trib.com.