A Pearl police officer is jobless and accused of stealing money.
According to Chief Nick McLendon, authorities were notified of possible theft committed by the unidentified officer on Monday. Pearl police administrators immediately began assessing the allegations.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation was called to help look into money that had gone missing. The officer in question was placed on administrative leave as McLendon went up the chain of command to have the officer fired.
Following a special Board of Aldermen meeting called by Pearl Mayor Jake Windham, administrators agreed to acquiesce to the police chief’s request and fire the officer, who has not been criminally charged.
“To date, the officer in question has not been charged with any crime and should be presumed innocent until proven guilty under the law,” McLendon said in a press release. “But as an employment matter, the City must be concerned with even the slightest appearance of impropriety — and especially in the area of law enforcement. As the leader of the Pearl Police Department, I am deeply committed to this profession and to promoting constitutional, proactive, and accountable policing. Transparency and accountability are central to our mission.”
State authorities are continuing to investigate the alleged theft.
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