Southport Police Chief Reinstated

Source: WISH-TV

SOUTHPORT, Ind. — Just three days after Southport Police Chief Tom Vaughn was fired by Mayor Jim Cooney, Vaughn has been reinstated to the position.

Vaughn was fired on Monday. In a news conference on Wednesday, Cooney said he removed Vaughn for not following orders and providing documents that Cooney requested. Cooney wanted documents from Vaughn that had information on Southport’s reserve officers, but Vaughn didn’t hand the documents over. That’s why Cooney said he terminated Vaughn as chief and reduced his rank to unpaid reserve.

But on Thursday night at the start of a Southport City Council meeting, it was revealed that Vaughn had been reinstated.

“The Southport Police Department is pleased to announce that Chief Tom Vaughn will continue to serve as Chief of Police, leading our department with the same dedication and commitment that has characterized his tenure,” said the City of Southport in a Thursday evening Facebook post.

Deputy Chief Nate Williams was selected to be the next Chief by Cooney, but he will resume his role as Deputy Chief.

“Together, Chief Vaughn and Deputy Chief Williams will continue their collaborative efforts to ensure the safety and security of the Southport community, maintaining the high standards of law enforcement and community engagement that our residents have come to expect,” the post continued.

Cooney was criticized by many people in Southport on Wednesday night at a meeting of the Board of Public Works and Safety.

“You ungrateful son of a gun,” one woman said.

Another woman told the mayor she was outraged.

“Every person here should be calling for his resignation. We don’t want you. We want you gone,” she said to Cooney.

Vaughn has been the Southport Police Chief for 11 years.

Southport Police Chief Reinstated was originally published on wibc.com