EMILY S. ACHENBAUM
eachenbaum@ charlotteobserver.com
Monroe’s former police chief said Monday that city officials blindsided him last week by forcing him out of his job.
David Slusser, who resigned Tuesday as chief in the Union County city of about 30,000, told the Observer the city manager directed him to resign or be fired.
Slusser had been chief only five months. City officials said they had hoped his three decades of police experience in Florida would bring stability to a department rocked by controversy and turnover. As he progressed, Slusser said, city officials told him he was doing a good job.
Slusser said he was told Tuesday to report to human resources that afternoon, with no reason given. The city manager, Slusser said, then gave him a prepared resignation letter to sign.
Craig Meadows, Monroe’s city manager since September, said he can’t recall having a prior one-on-one meeting with Slusser about the department.
Meadows acknowledged Slusser “really didn’t have a lot of advance knowledge” of the Tuesday discussion. He said the meeting lasted no more than 10 minutes, and said the resignation letter had been prepared in advance.
Slusser wasn’t made aware of perceived problems with his performance before the meeting, Meadows said.
“I don’t know if a lot of advance discussion would have been necessary,” Meadows said.
The city manager, not the city council, fires and hires the police chief in Monroe.
But Meadows said council members had shared their views on Slusser with him and “just wanted to make sure ... the leadership was there.”
He would not be more specific.
“They certainly have their opinions on how things should be run,” Meadows said.
Last week, Meadows said Slusser’s resignation was “in everybody’s best interest,” and he accepted it “with regret.” The city manager did say, however, that the timing of Slusser’s departure was bad.
Recent news out of the department hasn’t always been good: An officer was charged with theft, and the promotions process was changed to help stem accusations of favoritism. The interim chief before Slusser said the department had low morale. The chief prior to that -- Bobby Haulk -- said the city forced him, too, out of the job last October. City officials have said the departures of the two chiefs are unrelated.
While Slusser says he’s unhappy about the way he was treated, he said he does not know whether he and his wife will live in Monroe. They’re building a house that will be completed in about five weeks.
He said he likes the city but worries about the police department.
Monroe’s officers are “totally dedicated to this city,” Slusser said. “They could be the finest. The quality is there. But they need leadership and vision. They’ve been through a lot of turmoil.”
Slusser’s annual salary was $85,238; he’ll be paid through this month. Monroe Assistant Chief Lane Richardson will handle day-to-day operations of the roughly 75-member department until an interim chief is named, Meadows said.