The entire police department of Geary, Oklahoma, consisting of just the police chief and three officers, along with two city council members, has abruptly resigned without providing detailed reasoning. On a social media platform, former Police Chief Alicia Ford expressed her sorrow regarding this difficult decision, indicating it was ultimately the best choice for both herself and her team.
In her post, Ford encouraged the community of approximately 1,000 residents, located around 50 miles northwest of Oklahoma City, to engage more with the local city council and to actively participate in city matters, particularly by attending council meetings. Attempts to reach Ford for additional comments yielded no response by Saturday.
Responses from city officials were limited as well. When a reporter contacted a number associated with Mayor Waylan Upchego, the person who answered stated that he was unavailable to discuss any details surrounding the resignations at the moment.
The city released a statement expressing gratitude towards the outgoing chief and officers, wishing them well in their future endeavors. Meanwhile, they announced the selection of an interim police chief to ensure some level of continuity in law enforcement. Sheriffs from Blaine and Canadian counties will also step in to assist with policing duties during this transitional period.
In the official statement, the city reassured residents that all operations would continue as usual, emphasizing that in case of emergencies, the public should still dial 911 for immediate assistance from an officer.
The resignations of council members Glen “Rocky” Coleman Jr. and Kristy Miller reduced the council to merely one sitting member, following a prior vacancy. Coleman took to social media to express his misalignment with the current direction of the city, citing a significant lack of communication between the city administration and council as a major concern, although he did not elaborate on his decision. He noted that often, council members were the last to be informed about developments, stating, “There are often times that I would not know something (is planned) until the meeting started.”
Attempts to contact Miller for comments were unsuccessful. The interim chief has not been formally named, but JJ Stitt, who has extensive experience in law enforcement, claimed to be taking on that role. He previously worked as a county deputy and engaged in tasks related to internet crimes against children. Stitt has expressed his intentions to bring in more officers soon and affirmed his ability to facilitate the recruitment of experienced individuals to bolster the town’s police force.
The abrupt departures of Geary’s police department echo similar events that occurred over a year ago in Goodhue, Minnesota, where the entire local police force resigned due to inadequate compensation.