Wednesday, August 27, 1997
Patrolman fired, police chief and city manager
reprimanded
By JOHN STARBUCK Correspondent
MERKEL -- A Merkel patrolman was fired by the police chief
for insubordination Monday night, just minutes after the chief
and city manager were reprimanded by the Merkel City Council.
In what was a personnel matter between all parties, Police
Chief Bob Jones said Mansel Gilmer had refused to sign an agreement
that would settle differences between himself and another officer.
"It was a memo from the police department on resolving
conflicts so we can try to work together," said Jones.
Although Jones would not go into detail, the termination apparently
stemmed from an outburst by Gilmer during a recent council meeting.
Gilmer had been a Merkel police officer since 1995.
Following a two-hour executive session, aldermen reprimanded
Jones and City Manager Robert Harris for allowing police personnel
problems to fester over the past two weeks, said Mayor Earnest
Reynolds.
Those problems were related to a complaint filed against officer
Delbert Russell by reserve officer Cheyenne Hernandez, who alleged
she was asked to work more time than she had agreed as a volunteer
on July 12.
Reynolds said inappropriate language was used by police officials
in addressing Hernandez' complaint and that type of language was
not going to be tolerated.
"They didn't have the proper control over their employees,"
Reynolds said, "and we made it very clear that if they couldn't
keep control, we would get someone in there that could."
Hernandez filed the complaint with the mayor after Russell
failed to work his assigned shift, said Harris.
The incident, which Harris said he understood to be a miscommunication
between the officers, led to Russell, a nine-year veteran, being
demoted from sergeant to patrolman.
In addition, Hernandez was paid $83.63 for Russell's shift
and told by Jones that she was no longer needed as a reserve officer.
Jones said he relieved Hernandez of her reserve status because
she didn't take her complaint through proper channels.
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Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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