Tenino Police Chief John Hutchings buttons up his shirt after putting on a bulletproof vest prior to heading out on the road in this August 2012 file photo.
After firing the town’s police chief, Tenino Mayor Bret Brodersen told The Chronicle he plans to hire a new law enforcement leader.
“I look forward to bringing new leadership to the police department so we can continue to provide critical services for our community,” Brodersen said.
Former chief John Hutchings announced on his Facebook page late Wednesday night that he had been fired.
“I’m still stunned,” Hutchings told The Chronicle Thursday morning.
He declined to comment further on the mayor’s decision until events unfold more.
Brodersen said he wishes Hutchings the best and was grateful for his service to the town, and did not provide additional comment Thursday morning.
A Chronicle reporter was told to email the mayor, who was not in the office late Thursday morning, after calling the Tenino city hall seeking contact information for city councilors.
After finding other ways to contact the elected officials, The Chronicle learned the councilors were attempting to organize an emergency meeting about the issue.
Councilor John O’Callahan asked the mayor for a meeting, but Brodersen told him he wasn’t planning on meeting with the council.
O’Callahan said even though the mayor has the power to fire city employees, it doesn’t mean he should.
Councilor Wayne Fournier, who serves as liaison for the police department, told The Chronicle there had been discussion previously about personality conflicts between the mayor and chief.
“We were briefed on some stuff like that, but I can’t go into details because that’s the mayor’s job,” he said.
He said since he was elected to the council, he has had concerns about Brodersen’s attitude toward public safety based on his attempts to unfund the department.
“I have seen a pattern of behavior that shows reckless disregard for public safety,” Fournier said. “And this is deeply concerning to me and the constituents that have contacted me are up in arms.”
Support for the former Tenino police chief has been building on social media sites as the news of his termination spreads.
According to a statement released by John Hutchings on his Facebook page late Wednesday night, Brodersen has a new vision for the town.
So far, that vision means Hutchings’ services are no longer needed.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned in 35 years of police work, it’s that I have never been in charge of my own destiny,” Hutchings wrote. “Bret Brodersen advised me today he wants to take a different direction in the leadership of the police department.”
Some Facebook commenters speculated Brodersen’s decision a move toward contracting with the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office for service. However, with Brodersen’s statement to The Chronicle saying that he plans to bring new leadership to the department, it looks likely that isn’t the reason.
Residents of the city have taken their thoughts public on social media sites, showing support for the chief, while asking for an explanation.
“This is a damn shame. If Tenino doesn’t reverse this poor decision then say goodbye to your police department,” Derek Stansbury wrote. “…Citizens of Tenino, I urge you to fill the council chambers and demand his reinstatement now.”
An image has circulated Facebook allowing residents to show their support for the police chief, and Wayne Fournier, a Tenino city councilor, posted the image onto his personal page.
Hutchings took the position of Tenino police chief on July 1, 2012, after retiring from the Olympia Police Department, where he worked since 1985.
On Aug. 23, 2012, Hutchings said his goal was to stabilize the department, which has experienced a shaky history. In October of 2012, Tenino leaders considered dissolving the city’s eight-person police department due to budget restraints. The department was responsible for more than half of the city’s general fund expenses.
Hutchings stated at that time that the police department was beneficial to the local community, providing faster response times, more availability and overall community involvement.
Hutchings thanked the community for his experiences as police chief.
“The Tenino community is wonderful and the kids and schools are great,” Hutchings wrote. “It has truly been my privilege to serve as your police chief for nearly 3 years. I wish nothing but success for the remainder of cops and professional staff at the department.”
Hutchings’ experience includes patrol, the management of training teams and serving on a SWAT team. Hutchings was a Fulbright Scholar, spending three months in the United Kingdom conducting research about the effectiveness of critical incident stress debriefings. The former police chief has also co-wrote a book about crisis intervention training.
