Following a city council meeting on Monday, October 18, the Cordell City Council has voted to terminate Brandon Rogers, Chief of Cordell Police Department.
“All I really want is what’s best for the city, and if that’s what [the council] thinks is best then we’ll move on,” Rogers said.
The item was discussed during the executive session portion of Monday night’s meeting. Upon exiting the executive session, city council member Steve McLaughlin called for a motion to terminate Rogers.
“Previously, we’ve discussed this numerous times,” McLaughlin said during Monday night’s meeting before making the motion. When reached for further comment on the matter, McLaughlin said he could not comment.
Council member Tad Boone followed suit as he seconded the motion to terminate Rogers.
“I think that’s always the council’s ultimate goal is to make decisions that’s best for the town,” Boone said. “There’s not a whole lot I can say because it was discussed in executive session… I really like Brandon. I think he’s a great guy. I appreciate the service that he’s provided for the community, and I wish him all the best.”
The vote ended in a 5-3 vote to terminate Rogers with council member Jamie Bardwell being the only member to vote no. Council members Sheri Parson and James Newman abstained from voting, however, their decision reflected as a no on the official vote.
Rogers, who was unaware why his employment was up for discussion in the first place, said he was shocked to find out the decision made by the council.
The decision also came as a shock to some on social media as many were left surprised and some even upset by the decision to terminate Rogers.
“It was [the council’s] decision. It’s been a pleasure serving this community, and I wish them the best,” Rogers said.
Rogers, who was initially appointed as police chief by the council in 2015 in the midst of the election, ran for the position later that spring and was elected. However, a few years later, the council voted to have the position of police chief be decided by the council and made the police marshal an elected position.
Other business discussed related to the Cordell Police Department was a complaint against the department that was brought forward and presented by Cordell resident Amy Riggs.
Riggs, who owns Riggs Nutrition in Cordell, discussed her complaint which centered around an incident she said took place early last month regarding a police car partially blocking the entrance to her parking lot as well as another police car being il legally parked in one of her customer parking spots.
“[...] it was my understanding that officer Newberry was driving that vehicle, [he] illegally parked in one of my customer parking spots with the patrol car running. With keys in it and running. For over an hour and a half. I contacted Steve McLaughlin, who is my council person and asked him if he could contact the chief of police to get these vehicles moved,” Riggs said during her complaint presentation.
Riggs said she lost clientele that day stating that she “missed out on two customers’ business” as well as saying that one of her pregnant customers had to “walk in extreme heat” to get to her shop.
Riggs said that upon arriving back to their patrol cars the officers, along with what Riggs referred to as “civilians”, laughed at her while she sat outside her shop.
“[They] said, ‘Well, we’re done with lunch now. We’ve moved our vehicles.’ So I stood up, Trevor being the only one I know by name, I said ‘Trevor. That was very rude of you to illegally park in my lot. One of my customers is very pregnant and had to walk in the heat, and that is rude.’ He looked at me and said, ‘Maybe you should not be smoking then,’” Riggs said during her presentation.
According to Riggs, Rogers stopped by her shop and assured her that an incident like the one mentioned would not happen again.
While Riggs’s presentation of her complaint was done publicly, the council discussed the complaint in private during executive session.
“My intention was to come into the meeting with a complaint on the department," Riggs said. "What happened next as to the chief losing his job was not a result of my complaint nor was it my intention, and I feel that the council heard my complaint and will deal with the issue.”
While both Riggs’s complaint and Roger’s employment were discussed during the meeting, when asked, council member Boone could not comment on whether Riggs’s complaint was related to or affected the decision to terminate Rogers.