An whole city’s management has actually fallen apart after the failing of politicians to fulfill the authorities division’s requirements, its previous principal claimed.
The whole Geary Police Department in Oklahoma– consisting of Chief Alicia Ford– surrendered onOct 31. City Council participants Rocky Coleman and Kristy Miller surrendered soon later, as 25 Oklahoma City initially reported. Mayor Waylan Upchego after that surrendered, the Watonga Republican reported.
“The reason that prompted the entire resignation was: it was just a continued failure from the mayor to make change that would affect the department and make it more effective for the community,” Ford informedFox News Digital “It was just an ongoing issue. He consistently refused to keep his word to us, and that was something that we held him to. When you’re a mayor, you’re [supposed] to lead the city and what’s best for the city and the departments within.”
Ford claimed she had actually mosted likely to Upchego and the common council requesting their aid to attend to the worn and undermanned authorities division, plus spending plan cuts that had actually lately affected pay and bonus offers for police officers, in addition to a few other management concerns. Nobody tipped up, according to the previous authorities principal.
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Geary Police Department Chief Alicia Ford shares a Halloween message on Facebook. (Facebook/ Geary Police Department)
“They cut the jail. They cut our dispatch, and that put strain on us. But we found we went to another agency, and they have done excellent and accommodating us with that dispatch.,” Ford discussed. “[The mayor] consistently refused to keep his word when it came to basic needs of equipment and the safety issues within our department. We talked about the budget cuts that caused hardships for these officers and myself that were unnecessary.”
Hope included that she recognizes that authorities divisions throughout the nation have actually handled staffing lacks and spending plan cuts, however her six-person division had actually lately decreased to 4, with herself doing management principal job, one police officer based at the neighborhood senior high school, and 2 police officers functioning exceptionally lengthy changes doing routine day-to-day authorities job.
“Who wants to do that for extremely low pay?”
“So that would lead two officers to do basically 24 hours . . . five to seven days a week. That’s not realistic,” she claimed. “But honestly, who wants to do that for extremely low pay? I mean, they did it. And honestly, I don’t ever really remember these two officers complaining about it.”
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The whole Geary, Oklahoma, Police Department surrendered. (Facebook/ Geary Police Department)
Ford offered the mayor and common council a month’s notification to attend to the authorities division’s problems, stating that if requirements were not satisfied, they would certainly surrender. They also provided city leaders a timeline.
“And then we followed through with our timeline,” Ford claimed.
Ford tackled the work of authorities principal in October 2023 after the division had actually been shaken by an additional unconnected rumor.
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“At first, it was kind of challenging. It was my first year of being a chief of police. I’ve taken several roles in law enforcement, but never that type of administrative, high . . . role,” she discussed. “It was great. . . . Geary, Oklahoma, was an amazing community. They were very accepting of me.”
The whole Geary Police Department surrendered onOct 31. (Google Maps)
Ford has actually because approved a setting as a detective with the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, which assisted fulfill the Geary Police Department’s send off requirements after spending plan cuts. Right currently, she’s concentrated on her family members.
Coleman shared a letter with 25 discussing his choice to surrender from the common council complying with the authorities division resignations, stating he had actually left the council due to the fact that his “core values do not align with the city’s current direction.”
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“I have tried to be a voice of reason. Unfortunately, I was just one voice. The City Council and administration should not allow personal goals or agendas to affect the city. Decisions should be made only to benefit the city,” he created, including that council participants did not have interaction and were regularly left at night concerning schedule products.
“Transparency is also crucial for communication. I would love to see more communication online, not just in person. For example, the financial reports should be posted for the community to read. I have never shied away from explaining the state of the finances to any citizen who has asked. When people are informed, they are more likely to understand that we have a failing infrastructure and why rate increases must happen. I have repeatedly asked that we be more proactive instead of reactive. We should be prepared for the worst and not hoping for the best.”
Upchego can not instantly be grabbed remark. An acting principal has actually because taken control of the Geary PD, and citizens are still able to make 911 phone calls.
