Mayor Jess Green makes serious allegations against the police department in an April memo to the City Council but offers no details to substantiate his claims.
The April 14 memorandum - obtained through the Government Records Access and Management Act - lists at least a dozen instances of alleged misconduct including sexual harassment, holding guns to teenagers' heads without cause and making death threats. Green provides no names or dates."I think it's extremely unfortunate that the mayor of American Fork has resorted to rumor-mongering and lies. It's easy to see why his own attorneys have called it libelous," said Police Chief John Durrant.
With the exception of Councilman George Brown, council members call the charges ridiculous and believe Green and Brown are using rumor and innuendo in an attempt to oust Durrant.
"There's no information in there that indicates that John Durrant is incompetent as police chief," said Councilman John McKinney.
Green and Brown tried to fire Durrant earlier this year but failed to gain council support. Council members scheduled a public meeting in February to discuss Green's allegations against the police department. The meeting, however, was abruptly canceled.
The mayor finds himself the subject of a similar meeting Wednesday night. McKinney and Councilman Ricky Storrs scheduled a special session to air concerns about Green, particularly a letter he wrote requesting leniency for a resident with eight drunken driving convictions.
Some residents and council members want the mayor to resign.
"The mayor needs to step down. There's no question in my mind. How can we go on as a city with what we've got hanging over our heads?" said Councilman Grant Parker, who doesn't find Green's claims against the police valid.
Green for months has called for Durrant's firing without revealing specific reasons. He attempted to get the council to hold another open meeting about the chief three weeks ago.
Storrs said the memo didn't convince him there was enough evidence to talk about the issue.
The council also has resisted Brown's call for an independent investigation of the police force.
McKinney said the items Green brings up should be handled through the city's policies and procedures system or in federal court. "The City Council does not pass judgment in those cases," he said.
Durrant has said if there are problems in the department, he's willing to work them out.
McKinney said that's not true of the mayor.
"He doesn't care to solve the situation," McKinney said, adding Green's memo has the "flavor of retaliation."
Durrant said the mayor is harassing the police because of a federal civil rights suit the department filed against the city. "We've gone through a social autopsy here, and this is all he can come up with," he said.
Among Green's claims:
- An officer allegedly twice made unwanted sexual suggestions to a convenience store clerk.
- Two officers allegedly confronted a pair of teenagers for questioning, handcuffed them, put them on their knees and held guns to their heads before pushing them over.
- The police administration allegedly refused to process a report of an officer beating and making a death threat to his spouse.