Comments Below: 4
Small town politics get even messier as the state of Tennessee shuts down the entire Calhoun Police Department. Police Chief Steven Hughes tendered his resignation this past Thursday... The same day officials with state's Police Officer Standards and Training shut down the department because none of the officers were certified. The Daily Post Athenian says Hughes planned to attend the Police Academy at Cleveland State Community College this summer. The McMinn County Sheriff's Department will be responsible for policing Calhoun until further notice. --- The small McMinn County town has been in the spotlight since the TBI began an investigation there late last year. After the December 8th City Commission meeting, newly elected Commission members Clifton Coleman, Billy Nichols and Carlos Liner allegedly broke into the police department. According to then Police Chief Julie Tanksley, the locks on doors to her office and to evidence rooms were changed, two filing cabinets were broken into, and a grand jury file on one of the newly elected Commissioners was taken. At that same December meeting, the Mayor and new Commission members voted to mandate all patrol cars must be kept within the city limits at all times. They also voted to remove the tinting from patrol car windows. City Manager Joe Bryan and re-elected Commissioner Larry Holland immediately resigned when these motions were passed. Joe Shudan was chosen to replace Bryan as City Manager. He abruptly resigned in March and was replaced by David Wilson. Wilson's first order of business as City Manager was firing the entire police department. In April, City Recorder Linda Dale and City Attorney Robert Sherwood resigned. Dale cited health reasons. Sherwood said he was unable to balance personal and professional ethics with the actions of the City Commission. The Calhoun Commission's next regular meeting will be on June 1st at the city's Municipal Building.
[1]