Council overturns bid to replace police chief

The Bald Knob police chief’s job is secure, at least for now.

The City Council has voted unanimously to overturn new Mayor Barth Grayson’s decision to replace Police Chief William McGlothlin.

In a recent letter to McGlothlin, Grayson said he intended to fire McGlothlin on Tuesday, Grayson’s first day in office. Grayson said Wednesday, though, that he had since offered to demote McGlothlin to assistant chief instead of firing him.

McGlothlin has been with the Police Department in the White County city of roughly 2,900 residents since 2004 and became chief in October 2017.

The Daily Citizen in Searcy reported Wednesday that the crowd cheered and applauded the City Council’s unanimous decision during a special meeting Tuesday to keep McGlothlin as chief rather than accept Grayson’s appointment of Jeremy Bennett to the job.

Grayson contended that McGlothlin had violated department policy but told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Wednesday, “Right now, it’s a dead … issue.”

Still, he said, “I’m in the process of looking into some more things.” He said one of the things he plans to do is to talk with the Arkansas attorney general’s office.

Bennett, a drug recognition expert, was chief for 1½ hours, Grayson said. The new mayor said he believes the chief’s job pays about $52,000 a year.

Grayson said there had been “fraternization” within the Police Department, a handbook violation.

“The violations are clear,” Grayson said.

McGlothlin was out of the office on police business Wednesday afternoon and did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment. There is no residential phone listing for a William McGlothlin in Bald Knob.