EXPLAINATION OF HISTORY I WAS EMPLOYED WITH THE VIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT IN MARCH OF 2007 AS POLICE CHIEF.

PREVIOUS TO ME TAKING OVER AS CHIEF FOR VIAN, I WAS THE 5TH CHIEF OF POLICE IN 3 YEARS. AT THE TIME I TOOK OVER THE CITY COUNCIL HAD FIRED AND OR ALL THE STAFF FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD RESIGNED BESIDES ONE OFFICER. ONCE I BECAME CHIEF, I IMMEDIATELY HAD TO CATCH UP ON OSBI AND FBI STATS FOR BEING APPROXIMATLEY A YEAR AND HALF BEHIND AND AS FAR AS EVIDENCE, IT WAS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE POLICE STATION IN OFFICES, ETC AND NOT HAVING ANY TYPE OF CURRENT LOG FOR THE EVIDENCE OR BEING SAFELY SECURED AS EVIDENCE IS SUPPOSE TO BE. THE POLICE STATION ALSO HOUSED A JAIL, COURT ROOM AND PUBLIC MEETINGS IN THE COURT ROOM. MONTHLY CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS WAS ALSO HELD IN THE POLICE STATION. MOST OF CITY EMPLOYEES AND CITY COUNCILMAN AND WOMEN HAD KEYS TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS A MAJOR MESS AND MANY PEOPLE HAD ACCESS TO ANY AND ALL OF EVIDENCE IN THE POLICE STATION, MAKING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT A UNSECURE FACILITY. IN THE BEGINNING I STARTED HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE CITY COUCIL DUE TO THE FACT THAT 3 OF 5 VOTED FOR ME TO BE CHIEF, LEAVING 2 THAT DID NOT VOTE FOR ME TO BE CHIEF AND DID EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO MAKE ME FAIL AS POLICE CHIEF. AS TIME WENT ON I BEGIN AN INVESTIGATION WITH STATE INVESTIGATORS INTO TWO TOWN BUSINESSES THAT WAS COMMITING FRAUD WITH PEOPLES EBT FOOD STAMP CARDS. ONE OF THE BUSINESSES BEING A HARDWARE STORE, ALLOWED CERTAIN PEOPLE TO USE THEIR EBT CARD AT THE NEIGHBOR GROCERY STORE IN RETURN TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON THEIR ACCOUNTS AT THE HARDWARE STORE. ONCE THE HARDWARE STORE FOUND OUT THAT I MADE THE COMPLAINT TO THE STATE, THEY DID EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO CONTROL THE CITY COUNCIL IN TERMINATING ME AS POLICE CHIEF, BUT THE VOTE WAS ALWAYS 3-2. DURING THIS TIME AS WELL I HAD AN OFFICER WHOM WAS CAUGHT HAVING SEXUAL CONTACT WITH A FEMALE WHILE HE WAS ON-DUTY. THAT OFFICER RESIGNED ON THE SPOT ONCE AN INVESTIGATION OF THE ALLEGATION WAS ANNOUNCED. AFTER ATTEMPTING MANY TIMES TO MAKE THE COUNCIL COMPLETELY HAPPY AND BEING UNSUCCESSFUL, I DECIDED TO RESIGN AND GO BACK TO CRAWFORD COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT. ONCE I RESIGNED IN JULY OF 2007, THE OFFICER THAT RESIGNED DUE TO SEXUAL ALLEGATIONS WAS NAMED CHIEF OF VIAN. IN MARCH OF 2008 I WAS FALSLY ACCUSED AND CHARGED WITH THEFT FROM VIAN. THE CHARGES WERE LATER DROPPED AND DISMISSED WITH PREJUSTICE. IV NEVER FELT SO EMBARRASSED OR HUMILIATED IN MY LIFE. THE FACT THAT DIRTY POLITICS PLAYED A ROLE IN THIS AND THE RETALIATION OF AN OFFICER DISLIKING ME FOR ACTING IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I THINK BACK NOW AND WISHED I HAD NEVER GONE TO VIAN AND PURSUED THE POLICE CHIEF POSITION. I LEARNED A TREMENDOUS LESSON THAT POLITICS CAN PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN SMALL GOVERNMENT BUSINESS AND ACTIONS. ONCE AGAIN THERE WAS NO CONVICTION, NOR JUDGMENT OF ANY KIND. ALL CHARGES WAS DISMISSED.