Eatonville votes to reinstate police chief

After five hours of deliberation and combing through evidence, Eatonville resident Eric McIntyre was reinstated as chief of police on Tuesday after receiving notice that he was fired last Tuesday, just a month after he had been named to the position.

Eatonville Chief Administrative Officer Roger Dixon had terminated McIntyre due to him allegedly showing up late to meetings, failing to complete a community policing strategy and “lying about work-related activities.”

The notice of termination also claimed that McIntyre displayed an “inability to properly administrate disciplinary action within the department,” and was allegedly guilty of “targeting” Deputy Chief Joseph Jenkins. McIntyre had allegedly called for Jenkins’ termination based on the need to reorganize the police force – a rationale deemed “unjustified” and “extreme” in the notice.

McIntyre came before the Town Council represented by attorney W. Marvin Hardy III, who claimed that it was his client’s termination that was far too extreme.

“[McIntyre] has given very dedicated service for the city for almost 16 years,” Hardy said. “He has served faithfully.”

Town Attorney Joseph Morrell called on multiple witnesses to testify that McIntyre had been late on occasion to town meetings; among the witnesses were town staff members and several officers from the police department.

Multiple town department heads admitted that McIntyre had been late on occasion, while Dixon claimed he had been working with McIntyre to help improve his timeliness and efficiency as chief, but to no avail, he said.

Mayor Anthony Grant, who gave Dixon the go-ahead in his decision to fire McIntyre, said that reinstating him would set a negative precedent.

“What you’re telling the employees is that you can be disrespectful, you can be insubordinate and that you can be deceitful as the police chief in the town of Eatonville,” Grant said. “That’s the message that you’re sending.”

But councilmen Eddie Cole and Theo Washington took issue with Dixon’s firing of McIntyre, arguing that it should be up to the council as a whole to determine whether a city employee should be let go.

“You went through the mayor, not Councilman Cole, not Councilman Washington, not Councilman Daniels, not Vice Mayor Thomas,” Councilman Washington said. “I didn’t give my power to you to terminate anyone.”

“I have a problem with that personally.”

Councilman Rodney Daniels said he wished Dixon had taken a less severe approach.

“Termination was kind of harsh,” Daniels said. “…Is there another avenue that we possibly could have taken to help the situation?”

“If we side with administration, we’re taking a man’s livelihood. If we side with a man’s livelihood, we’re weakening our administration…. We have to be conscious that this is our neighbor, our friend, a resident of the town of Eatonville, our leader, our chief.”

Cole, Washington and Daniels voted to reinstate McIntyre with back pay while Mayor Grant voted against.

Vice Mayor Angela Thomas did not cast a vote.

McIntyre said he was grateful to be reinstated, admitting that it was a difficult trial to face.

“It took a toll on my family; we made it through prayer,” McIntyre said.

“My family can now breathe easier. We can go and resume life as normal and I can continue to serve the people of the community in the town of Eatonville.”