Southport mayor abruptly fires police chief

SOUTHPORT, Ind. (WISH) — Southport Mayor Jim Cooney said Wednesday that the firing of the Marion County city’s longtime police chief wasn’t political but was because he didn’t provide a document the Republican leader wanted.

The document in question was the date of hires of reserve police officers. The desire was to have the city’s Board of Public Works and Safety approve the hires. That board was meeting Wednesday night.

Because Tom Vaughn as police chief didn’t deliver the document, the mayor says, state law gave him power over Vaughn’s dismissal.

Vaughn served as police chief for 11 years.

Cooney said, “I’m doing this for the public. This is not a power grab. It’s all about following state statute and protecting the citizens, police department, and also protecting the city.

The mayor said he’s planning to take the police department in a different direction.

The mayor also told News 8 that Vaughn has been demoted to reserve patrol officer and that Nate Williamson will be acting chief of police.

The former police chief told News 8 that the mayor failed to get proper clearance for the document he’d requested … and Vaughn says there’s more.

“It’s about the police department,” Vaughn said.

As police chief, Vaughn says, other responsibilities come with the job, such as being in charge of police standard operating procedures.

“I’m also the public works supervisor, so I take care of the streets and roads. So, those are the two positions that the mayor has no control over on a day-to-day basis, and I think that bothers him.”

Vaughn says he’s going to fight. “We have an attorneys filing lawsuits, and the board tonight is meeting, which is going to be controversial.”

Vaughn wasn’t the only one saying the mayor has gone too far.

Southport City Council Member Joseph Haley said, “I’ve seen some overreaches in the last few years, which were troubling. Yes, I’m disappointed because Tom Vaughn and our police department is top-notch, and I’ve spent countless hours with them.”

Southport is a city of about 2,000 residents on the south side of Marion County.