HARTFORD, Michigan (WOOD) — The Hartford city manager confirms former Police Chief Mike Prince was not fired for misconduct.
The city of Hartford fired Mike Prince in July, saying the department needed to go “in a different direction.” City leaders and the former police chief himself have been tight-lipped on what exactly led to Prince’s firing.
Hartford City Manager Nicol Brown told News 8 in July that they were considering alternative options for the police department due to staffing shortages. A special meeting was scheduled for Monday, July 29, “for the purpose of abolishing the police department.”
Following numerous calls from concerned residents, the meeting was canceled. Brown said the notice was not approved by her and was poorly worded.
Brown and Hartford Mayor Richard Hall released a statement in early August saying the city’s goal was to preserve the police department.
“In the coming weeks, city staff intends to develop a long-term plan for preserving our police department, partnering with the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department and Tribal Police to help provide 24/7 coverage,” Mayor Richard Hall said in a statement released Thursday. “This is something we haven’t had for more than a year.”
The statement did not address the issues that led to the firing of the former police chief.
News 8 submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the city of Hartford asking for Prince’s personnel file in late July. City Clerk RoxAnn Rodney-Isbrecht denied the request, citing MCL 15.243(1), which “specifically exempts law-enforcement personnel records from public disclosure.”
News 8 immediately appealed the denial to City Manager Nicol Brown, citing part of that same statute that makes an exception to the exemption if “the public interest in disclosure outweighs the public interest in nondisclosure,” arguing that if Prince was terminated for misconduct, the public interest outweighs nondisclosure.
On Wednesday, Brown again denied News 8’s request, saying, “To the extent your email suggests that Mr. Prince was terminated for misconduct during his time with the City of Hartford, that suggestion is mistaken. The City is not aware of any particular incidents of misconduct, and there are no records in his personnel file that refer to any such incidents.”
The denial letter goes on to say, “Mr. Prince was terminated due to performance issues and because it was determined that a leadership change would benefit the department.” No other details on what the “performance issues” were that led to Prince’s termination have been made public.
Prince stepped in as interim chief in early 2023 after former Chief Tressa Beltran stepped down amid a drug investigation. Beltran was sentenced in June to prison after pleading to two felonies. Authorities say she stole drugs from a disposal box at the police department.
Phil Lucas is filling the role of interim chief as the city council works to develop a plan for the future of the police department.
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