NEW HAVEN, Mo. – The sudden resignation of the brand-new New Haven police chief has rocked the Franklin County river town.
Colonel John Hallquist wrote the city on January 31, saying that he was forced to notify authorities and resign over “…information I have discovered…unknown to me prior to my appointment…”
Citizens and city officials, alike, were caught off guard.
“His resignation letter did catch us by surprise,” New Haven City Administrator Kathleen Trentmann said.
An emergency city meeting was called, Trentmann said.
“At that meeting, the board of aldermen voted to disband the police department,” she said.
The decision does not mean New Haven is without law enforcement.
“We entered into a contract with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department to provide law enforcement services and duties, so we have not been without any coverage,” Trentmann said.
Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Major and Chief Deputy Trevor Wild is in charge.
“The city called for help because of the resignation letter. It was pretty abrupt, and we still have to talk to the old chief to find out what gave him cause for concern,” Wild said. “When the truth leads us, the truth leads us.”
In the meantime, Wild and three others will cover policing as they get to the bottom of whatever spooked the former chief.
“It’s my understanding that one of the chief’s concerns was an evidence issue, so when they disbanded the police department, we’re going to assume responsibility for that evidence,” he said. “Whether there were shenanigans or not, we have to do an audit of that room.”
Wild said they’re in touch with the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to monitor whether there’s an impact on New Haven’s cases. He said that sheriff’s investigators will generate a full report of their findings when their audit is complete.
