Moundville council, mayor vote to fire police chief

The Moundville City Council has fired the city's police chief after examining department records of officer certifications.

Ken Robertson had served as the chief for more than nine years.

"This was solely related to management and record keeping, and followed earlier discipline for similar things," said City Attorney Robert Spence. "The audit was simply a review of personnel files and training records."

Council members were concerned that there was no paperwork reflecting that officers had successfully completed annual firearms training, Spence said. Robertson said that the officers had done the training and met the qualifications, but hadn't yet updated the records, according to Spence. 

"Out of an abundance of caution, the city required the officers to go through the qualification again, so that all of the officers are now properly certified," Spence said.

A review of department records in August revealed that there was no documentation that some members of the nine-officer police force completed annual firearm certification courses. That could have made the city liable if, for instance, an officer-related shooting occurred involving an unqualified officer. Mayor Tony Lester and three of the five council members voted to fire Robertson at a meeting on Sept. 23.

"We're put in a position to make business decisions, not personal decisions and this was a business decision," Lester said. "It's our responsibility to make sure the city's liabilities are protected, as well as its citizens."

Assistant Chief Keith Burch has been named acting chief. The city will post an ad for the open chief position this week and will wait for the incoming city council to conduct interviews and make a final decision on Robertson's replacement.

Efforts to reach Robertson on Thursday for comment were unsuccessful. He posted a message on his private Facebook page Wednesday.

"To the citizens of Moundville, it has been a pleasure to serve as your chief," he wrote. "The support given to myself and family has been overwhelming and there is no way to say 'thank you' enough, nor will it ever be forgotten. I truly do love this city and its citizens and have always tried to serve each of you with respect, fairness and above all how I would have wanted to be treated. My leadership was not perfect, but it was sincere. It is with much sadness that I realize not all who run/work for the city feel and practice these things. Each citizen, officer, and co-worker should know that I will always be indebted to each of you for sharing this chapter of my life and as a new chapter begins I will continue to serve. Once again from my family I say "thank you" all for everything."

Reach Stephanie Taylor at stephanie.taylor@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0210.