After his job was cut, Ed Tucker to address Centerville council

CENTERVILLE -- Ed Tucker, the city's former director of police services, is set to address the City Council members who eliminated his position.

Tucker is on the council's work session agenda for Tuesday's 5 p.m. meeting at City Hall.

Tucker lost his position at the department when the council eliminated the director of police services position in a 3-2 vote Oct. 6. In September, Tucker had been put on what Mayor John Harley called "non-punitive administrative leave."

Tucker told The Telegraph he will not address the council Tuesday on his position being eliminated.

Instead, he will speak to council members about the "state of the police force and related items at the time of my administrative leave."

The agenda lists Tucker's remarks under the public comments section of the agenda. His stated topic is "State of the Police Department."

Tucker is a former city councilman who resigned from his post during the July 7 council meeting and was immediately and unanimously appointed by the council to lead the department in a civilian administrative role.

Plans were for Tucker to retire from his current full-time teaching job in early 2016 and pursue state law enforcement training and credentials.

The move to hire Tucker followed the June resignation of Police Chief Sid Andrews and the July elimination of the department's assistant chief position.

In years past, both Centerville's police and fire departments were administered by a single director of public safety who was a certified law enforcement officer.

The vote to eliminate Tucker's position at the department was carried by yes votes from Harley and Councilmen Randall Wright and Micheal Evans. Casting dissenting votes were Councilmen Cameron Andrews and Jon Nichols.

Three other police-related matters are on Tuesday's agenda: the open police chief position; police department pay; and the purchase of police vehicle equipment.

This story was originally published October 19, 2015 at 10:21 PM with the headline "After his job was cut, Ed Tucker to address Centerville council ."