Police Chief Jeff Curtis resigned Monday during the Mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting.
Following a recent suspension by city leaders, Curtis said he has the community’s best interest at heart. But he can no longer work under such stressful conditions.
“I have dealt with this for two years, and with great prayer and communication with my family on where this is leading...but if it means me walking away, then it means me walking away to make our city better,” Curtis said. “I will always support this city, but I have been led through this with prayer to resign effect immediately...”
On a 3-2 vote earlier this month, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to suspend Curtis for three days and require him to attend a conflict resolution class. Some aldermen said the action was as a result of “insubordination.” Mayor Diane Delaware said that was not the reason, but she said she cannot discuss personnel issues.
Ward 2 Alderman Dr. Jack Varner and Ward 4 Alderman Aubry Brent Jr. were in opposition of Curtis’ suspension.
Curtis said during Monday’s meeting that there has been much speculation about the direction of the police department and his own future employment with the city.
But Curtis said the board’s action surrounding the suspension and conflict resolution class was “unfair.”
“I don’t agree with what was listed,” he said. “I didn’t have the opportunity to tell the board my side of the story...I have made it clear that I, as chief of police, will not attend the program that has been ordered to me. I will not attend a class that I feel like is unjust for me to attend.”
When Curtis first learned of suspension through The Yazoo Herald, he told the newspaper he believed the action by the board stemmed from his denial of an alderman who continued to request information surrounding an investigation.
“I stood my ground based on principle and based on policy, based on law,” Curtis said. “The vote in my opinion was unfair. One of the casting votes was made by someone who wasn’t even present during the so-called directive.”
Moments prior to Curtis’ resignation, Mayor Diane Delaware said there has never been any interference within the police department by board members.
“When the mayor refers to aldermen or anyone interfering with a case, I guess it would depend on how it’s viewed by others on what the word interference would be and how it is understood,” Curtis said.
Delaware also said she would like to suggest bringing in professional help to assist the police department in its areas of concern. She added that she would go into more detail about the matter during executive session.
But Curtis said he has been making recommendations that have fallen on deaf ears.
“The recommendations that I have made to this board to resolve some of the issues continue to go unanswered,” he said. “I will continue to serve any way I can as a community leader. But I am at the point where I am doing the police department no good when the mayor says it is going to have be an executive session meeting about bringing in professional help.”
Curtis said he was pleased with his ability to recruit and hire more officers to the department during his tenure.
“I was able to do that starting out,” Curtis said. “Unfortunately, a lot of those officers have left our department for several and various reasons.”
Curtis praised his department by providing figures from 2014 to today.
“You can look at the statistics and determine what the police department has been doing over the month,” Curtis said. “But I have some more statistics I think the community would be interested in.”
Curtis said there has been an eight percent decrease in arrests in 2014. He said the department has also seen a nine percent decrease in call volume over the last two years.
“This shows the crime rate is down in our city,” he added.
Curtis said his department has seen a 60 percent increase in citations since 2014.
“That shows the officers out there working have been more productive,” Curtis said.
Curtis said larceny arrests have decreased by 25 percent within the city since 2014, adding that it is “an impressive number.”
“This can be directly associated with officers being more visible in patrolling,” Curtis said. “It is my strong opinion that these officers should be commended for the job they are doing in keeping our city safe. We have been able to do this without a full staff and a decreased budget that continues to go on from year to year.”
Curtis said his job has just become too stressful to continue successfully due to problems that shouldn’t exist.
“I also stated that I would do this job as long as it didn’t affect my health and my family,” he said. “Unfortunately there is a lot of stress in my opinion that comes with this task...unnecessary stress.”
Curtis said he wanted to run the police department to the best of his ability with the support of the city council.
“I do my best to treat all of our community fairly,” Curtis said. “If I am a big headed chief, then I’m a big headed chief. If I’m the guy who turns red, then I’m the guy who turns red. Whatever you want to call me, my goal has been to make sure that I address every complaint that comes to my office on a regular basis. I hope and pray the community believes and understands that.”
Curtis said he is grateful for the opportunity to serve, and for the support he has received.
“I do want to thank the citizens of Yazoo City for the support and trust in the police department that we have been getting, “he said. It has been overflowing, the support that I have personally received. It has been an honor to serve.”
