Stump Martin, Ronnie Moore, Staff Writers
Copyright 2006 Chattanooga Publishing Company
Fort Oglethorpe Police Chief Doug Howell said Thursday that his demotion Wednesday was because “I didn’t fix a ticket for the mayor’s wife.”
City Manager James Dinley, however, said the move was a disciplinary action for insubordination and “not related to any ticket.”
Mayor Judd Burkhart said, “I regret Mr. Howell has elected to drag my wife into this. There is no connection of the two events.
“Further comment by me on his situation would be inappropriate, because I may have to hear his appeal if it reaches the City Council,” Mr. Burkhart said.
Mr. Dinley said Mr. Howell is on paid administrative leave until Monday when he will become captain of training. Deputy Chief Johnny “Red” Smith is acting chief.
Mr. Dinley also declined to elaborate on the charge of insubordination.
“I can’t discuss the details surrounding Mr. Howell’s case because he is entitled to appeal my decision,” he said.
Mr. Howell said that on the same day two of his officers received the Rossville Exchange Club’s Officer of the Year award, Mr. Burkhart telephoned and “lit into me” for almost five minutes.
He said the mayor cursed at him and told him, “I can’t believe those ... cops gave my wife a ... ticket, and if you can’t control those officers you don’t need to be the chief of police.’'
He said the mayor told him he had called Deputy Chief Smith and “cussed him out” about the ticket.
The former chief said Mr. Burkhart has made statements in front of witnesses at City Hall that he was “going to get that chief of police.”
Mr. Howell said he will file an appeal within 10 days with the city manager, and if that’s unsuccessful, he will appeal to the City Council.
He said the “insubordination” stems from his refusal to make changes in the department requested Tuesday by Mr. Dinley. He said he had declined to make the same changes when asked six months ago.
“I have been a thorn in Dinley’s side because I run the police department and not him,” Mr. Howell said. “He wanted me to cut back on patrols, and that’s not good for the citizens or their safety.”
He said he also had been asked to put detectives on rigid shifts.
“Detectives have to be flexible,” Mr. Howell said, adding that Mr. Dinley “doesn’t have a clue” about law enforcement.
“I have been a cop for 30 years and have never compromised my ethics, and I never will for a politician or a city manager. I have too good of a record to do something like that,” Mr. Howell said. “I want people to know I couldn’t face the people who have got tickets if I fixed a ticket for politicians.”
Chief Howell said the mayor’s wife was going 57 mph in a 40 mph zone when she was ticketed Feb. 23.
“I know from the phone calls I have received that I have the support of the citizens,” he said. “I believe I also have the support of the police officers.”
Mr. Howell said when Officer Andy Dotson voiced concern after writing the ticket, “I told him we do not have an off-limits list.”
E-mail Stump Martin at smartin@timesfreepress.com
E-mail Ronnie Moore at ronniem@timesfreepress.com