(Theresa Proudfit/Daily News photo) THE PARTIES IN the lawsuit by fired former Iron River police chief Laura Frizzo during an earlier trial day in Iron County Court. From left are Iron River City Manager and defendant David Thayer, attorneys Sean Fosmire and Susan MacGregor, Frizzo and her attorney, Courtney Morgan.

CRYSTAL FALLS — An Iron County jury ruled Friday that Iron River City Manager David Thayer did not act improperly when he fired Laura Frizzo as police chief in late 2016.

The jury had deliberated nearly 10 hours over two days — at one point telling Chief Circuit Court Judge Mary Barglind they couldn’t reach a decision — before coming back with its not guilty verdict just after 4 p.m. Friday in Iron County Court.

In her wrongful termination suit against the city and its manager, Frizzo had contended Thayer fired her Dec. 9, 2016, while she was on medical leave because she was a woman, portraying him as having an antagonistic history with women.

But the jury in its ruling stated they did not see Frizzo’s gender as a factor.

Thayer had testified during the 10-day trial that he fired Frizzo after having trouble with her temperament, demeanor and professionalism, saying it had become clear they were never going to have a successful working relationship.

“Of course, I’m very pleased with the decision of the jury,” Thayer said afterwards. “I’m glad the case has finally come to a close. It’s been very stressful to the community, the city, to myself and to Laura, and I’m hoping with this verdict we can heal.”

His attorney, Susan MacGregor, offered little comment other than to say, “We’re very pleased with the verdict.”

Neither Frizzo nor her attorney, Brian Keck, were available after the trial ended. She had sought at least $1,857,457, a number based on the estimated wages and pension she would have received had she retained her job.

Frizzo was hired as an Iron River police officer in 1995 and appointed by former city manager Perry Franzoi as police chief in 2013, the first female to hold that position for an Upper Peninsula city.

Both sides described the relationship between Frizzo and Thayer, who became city manager in October 2015, as contentious. Frizzo claimed in the lawsuit and in her testimony that when she called Thayer in April 2016 to discuss discrepancies on vacation time, he called her a derogatory term toward women — which another officer overheard — before hanging up the phone.

While Thayer admitted saying the word, he termed it an “involuntary reaction” to an intense exchange, done in the privacy of his office after the call had ended and he was unaware anyone was in earshot.

Brian Christensen can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 29, or at bchristensen@ironmountaindailynews.com.