ALEXANDER, Ark. — The community of Alexander is now demanding answers from Mayor Crystal Herrmann after she announced a change in leadership on Tuesday.
Mayor Herrmann announced that she had fired Chief of Police Robert Burnett, Assistant Chief Jessica Burnett, and Administrative Sergeant, Sargent Jonathan Hobby.
The news of this all came as a shock for community leaders like Mitchell Wayne Smith who is a city council member. He explained how he learned of the terminations secondhand.
The firing came as a shock for him since this past Monday, the council applauded the chief for his hard work in the city while the mayor sat right there.
"I was really saddened because of what they have done around here, they've done miracles around here work-wise," said Smith.
He also said that this firing did not come at a great time either, as people should feel safe around the holidays.
"They put cameras in the park down here and everything, and they got this new equipment coming out. We need our police," he added.
According to Arkansas law, Mayor Herrmann has the authority to fire a department head. Though the verbiage of with or without cause is not clarified in the language.
However, two-thirds of the full city council can vote to override that decision. This is what city councilwoman Juanita Wilson shared that she plans to try to do.
"I would vote to override her because I'm telling you, we don't need to lose good police just because she wants to go in another direction," Wilson described.
Tory Stiggal who lives in the city shared how he wants to give the mayor the benefit of the doubt and supports her decision.
"That just means that the mayor wants to take it a step further in protecting our people and making everything safer for everyone else," Stiggal explained.
Mayor Crystal Herrmann released the following statement following her decision:
"The administration of the City of Alexander determined that the Alexander Police Department's administrative direction needed change and realignment.
As a result of the new direction, Chief Robert Burnett, Assistant Chief Jessica Burnett, and Administrative Sargent Jonathan Hobby were terminated from the City of Alexander Police Department as their services were no longer needed within the Department.
The City of Alexander Police Department and the City of Alexander administration will continue to provide for our citizens and take the steps necessary to keep our community safe during this period of realignment."