West Point Police Chief Steve Bingham plans to appeal his recent termination at the hands of the Board of Mayor and Selectmen.
The West Point board voted 4-1 Tuesday, Aug. 11, to fire Bingham. Bingham declined to comment on the matter except to say he would appeal the decision.
“I will wait for the appeals process. I don”t know what”s going to happen. That”s where I stand. Let whatever happens happen,” Bingham said Monday.
West Point Chief Administrative Officer Randy Jones has received Bingham”s written request for an appeal, Jones confirmed Monday, noting the request has been passed along to City Attorney Orlando Richmond. Richmond could not be reached for comment.
According to Jones, Richmond will determine if Bingham has legal grounds for an appeal based on city policy or state statute. The vote to dismiss Bingham took place in executive session following the Aug. 11 city board meeting; Bingham was not given an opportunity to speak on his own behalf.
If the city determines Bingham does have grounds for an appeal, he will speak before the same city board members who voted to fire him.
Since the vote, West Point Mayor Scott Ross is taking his time searching for a successor.
“The city administrator (Jones) and I will write a job description and advertise the position,” said Ross. “Obviously, we don”t want to prolong (the search), but we don”t want to rush it, either.”
Ross has publicly expressed his disagreement with the board”s decision to fire Bingham.
The advertised job description likely will be the same as that under which Bingham was hired, Ross said, declining to put a timetable on either the announcement of the job opening or the hiring of Bingham”s replacement.
Ross said the police department is capable of operating without a chief temporarily under the guidance of deputy chiefs Bobby Lane, who heads patrol, and Romelle Matthews, who heads investigations.
“Everything is functioning just fine,” said Matthews. “I handle my responsibilities, and Bobby Lane handles his.”
Bingham remains in office for the time being. Following the vote, Ross said the termination would take place in about 10 days.
Matthews declined to speculate how long the department could function without a chief before services suffer but conceded, “Every department needs a chief. They”re the first line to the administrators.”
While Matthews does not intend to apply for the chief position, Lane, who applied for the job before Bingham was hired in 2006, declined to say whether he will seek the position.
Bingham”s pending appeal will not impede the search for an interim police chief and, eventually, a permanent replacement, West Point Ward 3 Selectman Charles Collins said Monday.
“We”re going to try to make sure we review all the applicants that are interested and pick out the best person for the job,” he said.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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