Friday, April 21, 2000
Independence mayor fires police chief
BY Terry Flynn
The Cincinnati Enquirer
INDEPENDENCE — Mayor Thomas Kriege on Thursday fired Police Chief Ed Porter, ending a stalemate between them that began when Mr. Porter was placed on paid leave April 4.
In a prepared statement, the mayor said “it has become obvious to me that the chief and I possess different management styles which has led to a lack of communication and other issues regarding the management of the Independence Police Department.”
Lt. Shawn Butler was appointed acting police chief in the city of about 15,000.
The mayor said there had been no decision on a new chief.
Mr. Porter was not immediately available for comment, but his attorney, Steve Wolnitzek, said a lawsuit was probably in the offing.
“I'll talk to the chief (today),” Mr. Wolnitzek said. “We'll want a hearing, which I believe the chief is entitled to. If not, I assume we'll see them in court.”
In the statement, Mr. Kriege said the difference in management style and type of leadership the chief provided to the police department led to him making the decision, “which I believe to be in the best interest of the city to move forward with a new chief.”
Mr. Wolnitzek criticized Mr. Kriege for issuing an order, after the chief was placed on leave, preventing Mr. Porter or other city employees from discussing the situation.
“I also don't agree with the mayor's explanation about a difference in management style,” Mr. Wolnitzek said. “We have information that there is a specific reason for the firing. It likely relates to the state whistleblower statute, but I can't go into any details at this time.”
He said that, because the chief had been fired, he was no longer bound by the rule not to talk and would probably want to discuss the entire situation in the future.
“We may issue our own statement about all this before long,” Mr. Wolnitzek said.
Mr. Porter, a veteran of the Cincinnati Police Division, came to Independence in 1995. Not long after he was hired, he complained publicly about working conditions at the old police headquarters.
On Wednesday, Independence Administrator Gary Scott said that he, too, had been asked to resign by the mayor. Mr. Scott, who has served as city administrator since December 1997, said he will leave his job May 31.
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