After first saying Mark Crowe had resigned, Pembroke has since said the former police chief’s contract was terminated after Crowe said he intended to stay on the job.
“He didn’t tell us he was coming back to work when we announced he resigned,” said Pembroke Mayor Mary Warnell, who referred other questions to the city attorney. “But we did terminate him (the following day).”
Crowe couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday.
The issue became public at the June 10 City Council meeting when Pembroke introduced Sgt. Stacy Strickland as the city’s interim police chief and then issued a press release announcing Crowe’s resignation.
Crowe, who was appointed chief in 2009, disputed his resignation immediately after the meeting and said he intended to report to work. He said he was given the choice of being demoted to star corporal and apologizing to former councilman Joey Burnsed or being relieved of his duties.
Burnsed, who owns Burnsed’s Body Shop in Pembroke, addressed council members in May saying Crowe sent a patrol car to Valli’s Collision Center, a Bulloch County body shop, despite the shop’s higher bid for work.
Crowe said he had a number of issues with Burnsed’s and Valli’s is a certified Chrysler repair center.