“The reason behind the whole resignation was: It was just a continued failure on the part of the mayor to make changes that would affect the department and make it more effective for the community,” said former police chief Alicia Ford. said Fox News Digital. “It was just an ongoing problem. He consistently refused to take us at our word and that was something we held him to. When you’re mayor, you’re (supposedly) running the city and what’s best for the city and the departments within it.”

Ford told the city council and mayor several times that the police force was overworked, understaffed and underpaid. The former chief said no one took action, even after her six-person department was reduced to just four officers, prompting employees to work extended overtime shifts every day of the week.

“They cut the prison. They cut our dispatcher and that put pressure on us. But we found that we went to another agency and they did a great job and satisfied us with this dispatch,” Ford said. “(The mayor) has consistently refused to keep his word when it comes to basic equipment needs and safety issues within our department. I talked about budget cuts that caused unnecessary hardship for these officers and myself.”

Ford gave city leaders a month to address the myriad issues facing the department, threatening resignations if the needs weren’t met. The resignations follow a trend across Oklahoma as four of five Grant County Sheriff’s Office deputies in northern Oklahoma resigned just days earlier.

This was it reported that Geary will receive assistance from nearby Canadian and Blaine Sheriff’s offices amid the dissolution of city officers. JJ Stitt, a distant cousin of Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK) and a peace officer in Oklahoma and Texas, was appointed by the Geary City Council to take over as interim chief.

“Last night I was given the information: ‘Hey. We might have a problem at the police department. We’re going to need someone to step up. Is this a possibility for you? I hesitated at first”, JJ said. “I was like, ‘Hey. I will help as much as I can.”

Former City Councilman Rocky Coleman said he resigned because the current direction of the city did not align with his personal views.

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“I tried to be a voice of reason. Unfortunately, I was just a voice. The City Council and administration should not allow personal goals or agendas to affect the city. Decisions should be made only for the benefit of the city,” he wrote in one letter on Fox 25.

“Transparency is also crucial for communication. I would like to see more communication online, not just in person. For example, financial reports should be posted for the community to read. I never shied away from explaining the state of my finances to any citizen who asked. When people are informed, they are more likely to understand that we have poor infrastructure and why rate increases need to happen. We have repeatedly called for us to be more proactive instead of reactive. We should be prepared for the worst and not hope for the best.”