Ex-director of police services addresses council that dismissed him
CENTERVILLE -- In a tense Tuesday work session, City Council heard from a former councilman who stepped down from his seat in July to lead the city's police department only to be placed on administrative leave, and then dismissed Oct. 6.
Ed Tucker, 52, spoke to council members as a city resident during the meeting's public comments period.
Tucker said he hoped to "shed light on events" while he was director of police services and seeking pay increases for the force.
Tucker outlined a series of meetings and occasions where he said he was given approval and "verbal agreement" for pay plans.
Tucker cited memos and discussions dating back to July which he said showed intent by the council to OK better pay. However, Tucker said his plans were not acted on or approved.
During his comments, he referred repeatedly to meeting with the council's Post 3 member, Micheal Evans, who serves as councilman over the police department.
In one exchange with Evans, Tucker said Evans disrupted the normal chain of command and asked officers to bring complaints to him if desired. Evans responded that he had an open door policy.
Tucker asked the council why they had not enacted pay raises earlier when he said the money was available.
He referenced an item regarding police pay on Tuesday's work session agenda, and Evans acknowledged police pay was on the agenda but added it was not because of Tucker's presence.
"I don't believe it," Tucker said.
After Tucker's comments, Councilman Cameron Andrews said the council's intent was to "do right by pay" for police officers and said that finding out about a possible disruption of the chain of command at the force bothered him.
From prepared notes, Mayor John Harley told Tucker he was "excited and supportive" when the decision was made to give Tucker leadership at the police department.
However, Harley cited several reasons that led to him no longer having faith in Tucker's leadership, all of which were disputed by Tucker.
Among them were complaints Harley had about Tucker taking two used police vehicles to a dealership and asking that four used vehicles be found for the department prior to the council's consent to do so; a possible discrepancy in Tucker's work time; and complaints lodged in the police department.
Not specifically mentioned Tuesday, but in documents provided by the city to The Telegraph in freedom of information inquiries, records show an investigation found four complaints at the department and regarding Tucker unfounded; one inconclusive regarding an off-duty officer not being backed up when they called for officers to investigate youth activities in their neighborhood; and one, according to the report, substantiated retaliation following complaints.
Tucker has denied harassment and said all he did would be considered routine, logical administrative questions and actions for any officer.
Finishing his comments about Tucker Tuesday, Harley called Tucker a "talented man" and wished him well.
Addressing police pay as a work session agenda item, the council unanimously passed four measures meant to improve police pay.
The first calls for the evaluation of officers over the next two weeks, with the exception of four recent hires, in order to give them rate-scheduled merit increases.
Second, the city's animal control officer and two administrative personnel will be put on the public safety pay scale.
Third, to eliminate confusion on pay for new hires, untrained officers will start as Class 11, Step 1 at $13.28 per hour and trained officers will start as Class 11, Step 2 officers at $13.62 an hour. New, higher ranking officers may be paid appropriately more.
Finally, the measure suggests review and increases in the pay scheme for the coming fiscal year.
To contact writer Michael Pannell, email mwpannell@gmail.com.
This story was originally published October 20, 2015 at 9:40 PM with the headline "Ex-director of police services addresses council that dismissed him ."