Blue Mound Mayor Alan Hooks Puts Police Chief Randy Baker On Paid Administrative Leave
BLUE MOUND, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Blue Mound Mayor Alan Hooks told CBS 11, he has put Police Chief Randy Baker on paid administrative leave until July 2, when the city council will consider possible termination.
Chief Baker told CBS 11, the letter notifying him of his leave also alleged he had been disrespectful toward the mayor and council in a city meeting on Monday.
Hooks says the chief "flipped off" a city employee last month after he had been counseled about professional behavior last December.
City council member Linda Watson told CBS 11 on Friday, from what she remembers from Monday's meeting, the only possible behavior the mayor could be referring to there, was an audible reaction from police officers when the mayor denied telling them to write more tickets.
Baker had been placed on leave earlier this year after he reported possible "financial malfeasance" to the District Attorney's Office involving the Crime Control Prevention District Fund
On Thursday, Mayor Hooks and Chief Baker both admitted Thursday they have butted heads in the last eight months, with Hooks saying he has lost confidence in the chief over a matter currently being investigated.
Baker said it's the result of two meetings Hooks held with officers, telling them they needed to add to city revenues by writing more traffic tickets. The chief said he informed the mayor he couldn't legally institute any form of ticket writing quota.
Hooks, however, said the idea to get rid of the department is not personal, but strictly a dollars and cents issue.
Blaming new state limits on tax revenue, the city would look to contract for law enforcement services with the Tarrant County Sheriff's Department.
The city council voted 3-2 this week to give Hooks the green light to move forward with getting a firm proposal from the county. He believes initial numbers show it could save the city upwards of $200,000 a year.
