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In a move that upset Red Wing s mayor and many residents, the southeastern Minnesota town s City Council fired its police chief Friday night amid a reckoning over the Police Department s handling of social justice issues.
In a three-page letter, the council told Police Chief Roger Pohlman he was being fired because he repeatedly ignored City Council directives, failed to respond appropriately to citizen complaints and became defensive when confronted with criticism. If the majority of the Council does not trust you, it cannot rely on you to perform the important work of the Department, reads the letter signed by Council President Becky Norton. Council members believe you have intentionally portrayed Council members as anti-police, when, in fact, their concerns were with your leadership and not with the performance of other members of the Police Department.
Red Wing police chief fired in controversial City Council vote
Chief Roger Pohlman served in his role for eight years.
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City of Red Wing
An ongoing conflict between Red Wing s city council and its police chief has resulted in the firing of the town s top law enforcement official.
On Friday, the council voted to terminate Chief Roger Pohlman, who had served the city in that role for eight years.
According to a letter from the city council to Pohlman, which has now circulated among a number of news outlets, the move was a disciplinary action over the chief s alleged failure to meet performance expectations.