{"id":2367331,"date":"2024-11-11T14:12:10","date_gmt":"2024-11-11T19:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/entire-police-department-resigns-after-towns-failure-to-meet-law-enforcement-needs-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-11-11T14:13:46","modified_gmt":"2024-11-11T19:13:46","slug":"entire-police-department-resigns-after-towns-failure-to-meet-law-enforcement-needs-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/entire-police-department-resigns-after-towns-failure-to-meet-law-enforcement-needs-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Entire police department resigns after town&#8217;s &#8216;failure&#8217; to meet law enforcement needs- Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fentire-police-department-resigns-after-towns-failure-to-meet-law-enforcement-needs-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2367331&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>In \u200bGeary, Oklahoma, the entire police department\u200b resigned on October 31 \u2063due\u2064 to city leaders&#8217; failure to address \u200btheir\u200b requests for\u200c assistance. This mass resignation led to the following resignations of two City Council members and the mayor. Former Police Chief Alicia\u200d Ford cited ongoing issues with\u200b the mayor\u2019s failure to\u2063 make necessary \u200dchanges to\u200d improve the\u200d department&#8217;s effectiveness and highlighted that the officers were overworked, understaffed, and inadequately compensated.\u200c Despite repeated warnings regarding these issues,\u200c including dwindling\u200b staff numbers and budget cuts impacting \u200doperational \u200dneeds, no actions were taken by \u2063city \u2062officials. Ford had given city \u2064leadership a month to address these problems, warning of potential resignations if conditions did not improve. The exodus of Geary&#8217;s police mirrors a broader trend\u2063 in\u200c Oklahoma, where \u200drecent resignations from other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oregon-governor-encourages-people-to-call-police-on-neighbors-violating-covid-orders\/\" title=\"Oregon Governor Encourages People To Call Police On Neighbors Violating COVID Orders\">law enforcement agencies<\/a> have occurred under \u200bsimilar \u2064circumstances. Following\u2063 the department&#8217;s collapse, the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">city\u2062 secured\u200c interim policing assistance<\/a> \u200bfrom neighboring jurisdictions, with JJ Stitt appointed as the interim Chief.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Entire police department resigns after town&rsquo;s &lsquo;failure&rsquo; to meet law enforcement needs<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1792056\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The entire Geary, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/oklahoma\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Oklahoma\">Oklahoma<\/a> Police Department <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02KGMo4uTYYmSvD5iXy4BC9XCLn1Uo1Ybq37mvnHtkaU73fUdjbLbZUEDturGWNoWRl&amp;id=100064331303549\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"resigned\">resigned<\/a> on Oct. 31, citing that the city leaders were ignoring their requests for help. Shortly after the collapse of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/law-enforcement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">police<\/a> department, City Council members Rocky Coleman and Kristy Miller resigned as well, followed by Mayor Waylan Upchego.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;The reason that prompted the entire resignation was: it was just a continued failure from the mayor to make change that would affect the department and make it more effective for the community,&rdquo; former Chief of Police Alicia Ford <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/entire-police-department-resigns-after-towns-failure-meet-law-enforcement-needs-former-chief#:~:text=community%2C%22%20Ford%20told-,Fox%20News%20Digital.,-%22It%20was%20just\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">told<\/a> Fox News Digital. &ldquo;It was just an ongoing issue. He consistently refused to keep his word to us, and that was something that we held him to. When you&rsquo;re a mayor, you&rsquo;re [supposed] to lead the city and what&rsquo;s best for the city and the departments within.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Ford had communicated to the city council and the mayor multiple times that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/we-find-ourselves-in-a-crisis-oakland-police-chief-criticizes-city-council-after-police-budget-slashed-amid-spike-in-crime\/\" title=\"\u2018We Find Ourselves In A Crisis\u2019: Oakland Police Chief Criticizes City Council After Police Budget Slashed Amid Spike In Crime\">police staff<\/a> was overworked, understaffed, and underpaid. The former chief said nobody took action, even after her six-person department dwindled to only four officers, causing the employees to pull extensive overtime shifts every day of the week.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;They cut the jail. They cut our dispatch, and that put strain on us. But we found we went to another agency, and they have done excellent and accommodating us with that dispatch,&rdquo; Ford said. &ldquo;[The mayor] consistently refused to keep his word when it came to basic needs of equipment and the safety issues within our department. We talked about the budget cuts that caused hardships for these officers and myself that were unnecessary.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Ford offered the city leaders a month to address the countless issues the department was facing, threatening resignations if the needs were not met. The resignations follow a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=four+out+of+five+deputies+from+the+Grant+County+Sheriff%27s+Office+in+Northern+Oklahoma+resigned&amp;rlz=1C5GCEM_enUS1127US1127&amp;oq=four+out+of+five+deputies+from+the+Grant+County+Sheriff%27s+Office+in+Northern+Oklahoma+resigned&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBBzQ1MWowajeoAgCwAgA&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8#:~:text=Siragusa%20resigns%20city,siragusa%2Dresigns%2Dcit...\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">trend<\/a> across Oklahoma as four out of five deputies from the Grant County Sheriff&rsquo;s Office in northern Oklahoma resigned just days earlier.<\/p>\n<p>It&rsquo;s been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kosu.org\/local-news\/2024-11-06\/chief-officers-abruptly-resign-from-geary-police-department#:~:text=Later%20that%20afternoon%2C%20a%20post%20from%20Terryl%20Allen%2C%20the%20city%E2%80%99s%20Public%20Information%20Officer%2C%20announced%20they%20had%20secured%20an%20interim%20Chief%20of%20Police%20and%20were%20receiving%20assistance%20from%20both%20the%20Blaine%20and%20Canadian%20County%20Sheriff%27s%20Offices.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">reported<\/a> that Geary will be receiving assistance from nearby Canadian and Blaine Sheriff&rsquo;s offices amid the dissolve of the town&rsquo;s officers. JJ Stitt, a distant cousin of Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK) and Oklahoma and Texas peace officer, was appointed by the Geary city council to take over as interim Chief.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It was the other night that I was given the information that, &lsquo;Hey. We may have a problem at the police department. We&rsquo;re going to need somebody to step up. Is it a possibility for you?&rsquo; I was hesitant at first,&rdquo; JJ <a href=\"https:\/\/www.okcfox.com\/news\/local\/many-geary-police-officers-and-two-city-council-members-resign-oklahoama-investigation-jj-mayor-waylan-upchego\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"said\">said<\/a>. &ldquo;I was like, &lsquo;Hey. I&rsquo;ll help out best I can.&#8217;&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Former city councilman Rocky Coleman said he resigned because the city&rsquo;s current direction does not align with his personal views. <\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I have tried to be a voice of reason. Unfortunately, I was just one voice. The City Council and administration should not allow personal goals or agendas to affect the city. Decisions should be made only to benefit the city,&rdquo; he wrote in a <a href=\"https:\/\/okcfox.com\/resources\/pdf\/c3d84155-ce78-4d14-b60a-358b2511e777-RockyColemanletter.pdfd.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">letter<\/a> to Fox 25. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Transparency is also crucial for communication. I would love to see more communication online, not just in person. For example, the financial reports should be posted for the community to read. I have never shied away from explaining the state of the finances to any citizen who has asked. When people are informed, they are more likely to understand that we have a failing infrastructure and why rate increases must happen. I have repeatedly asked that we be more proactive instead of reactive. We should be prepared for the worst and not hoping for the best.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1792056\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1792056\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Geary, Oklahoma police department resigns over unmet needs<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3427,"featured_media":2367332,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP24113734532680-scaled-1024x683.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[16097,44804,44803,6522,32076],"class_list":["post-2367331","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-law-enforcement","tag-community-needs","tag-police-department","tag-resignation","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP24113734532680-scaled-1024x683.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2367331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3427"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2367331"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2367331\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2367335,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2367331\/revisions\/2367335"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2367332"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2367331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2367331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2367331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}