Time for a change.
The Sallisaw Police Department needs a new Police Chief. The present chief is up for re- election in February and needs to be replaced. His last job In Van Buren, Ark., was a school resource officer.
Since his election the Police Department and the City of Sallisaw has had a number of lawsuits filed against them. Two of the most recent lawsuits are sexual harassment and sexual assault. In both cases it was the same male officer. He was never charged with the crimes. He still is employed by the Sallisaw Police Department as an officer.
One lawsuit was settled out of court, and the sexual assault charge is still pending. As a taxpayer, these lawsuits cost every citizen of Sallisaw. Everything stated in this letter can and will be verified at your request.
On Feb. 5, lets vote for a change in leadership at our police department. If this chief is allowed to continue in office these crimes will continue due to his lack of leadership and discipline within the Police Department.
DON MORGAN, SALLISAW
EDITOR' NOTE: Sallisaw City Manager Bill Baker Wednesday said, "I'm not aware of any sexual assault case pending." He said the city has had two U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaints that were "settled to everyone's satisfaction through a mediator." Baker said that those complaints are confidential and he cannot reveal any details. He said only one of those complaints that he has been involved in occurred in the past three years. "We have a pending EEOC complaint," he said, adding that he could not give out any information about the complaint. Baker said that he has not heard or seen any complaints about sexual assault or know of any sexual assault complaint against an officer. "If that had occurred, that would've been pursued immediately," Baker said. A search of court records found one civil court petition filed Aug. 3, 2006, by Wade Davis against Sallisaw Police Officer John Weber and the City of Sallisaw. Davis alleges that in November 2004, Weber, while on duty as an officer, "unlawfully used extreme and unwarranted physical force upon the body of the plaintiff Wade Davis." Davis seeks damages of more than $10,000. There has been no activity in the case since Oct. 11, 2007, when a scheduling conference order was filed.
