Chief Horton: “I’ll not put him on the schedule”

Despite a 3 to 1 vote by the Town of Jonesboro’s Board of Aldermen to not uphold Jonesboro Police Department (JPD) Chief Wesley Horton’s recommendation of termination for Patrolman Hezekiah Perry, Horton said he would not schedule Perry for work, nor would he pay him from his JPD Budget.

Horton said, “I won’t put him to work unless there’s a court order telling me to do so.”

Voting no on the motion was District B’s Renee Stringer. Voting to undercut the chief were Alderman-at-Large LaStevic Cottonham, District C’s Charla Melton, and District D’s Devin Flowers.

District A’s Sam Lamkin was absent.

Earlier this week, the town’s controversial mayor Leslie Thompson inquired to town attorney Douglas Stokes on the following three points:

1) Does the Lawrason Act compel an elected Police Chief of a municipality to submit his recommendation for hire and fire to the Board of Aldermen?
2) When the Board disagrees with the elected Police Chiefs recommendation to terminate an employee, what enforcement rights does the Board have to enforce that decision?
3) If the spirit of the Council’s recommendation is not adhered to, then does that potential open the Town to a lawsuit by the employee who believes that he should be allowed to return to work as directed by the Council?

See here the letter.

Stoke replied that yes, the board must approve hiring and firing, but that the chief still had the authority to run his department as he sees fit, and to suspend officers if the situation warrants.

See here Stokes’ reply.

We will have additional reporting later on other business that took place at today’s meeting.

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