ELMWOOD PLACE, Ohio — Elmwood Place's interim police chief has resigned, the village's mayor said Tuesday.
"As of this afternoon interim chief Kevin Kelsey did give his verbal resignation," Mayor Ron Spears said. "As a village we will step back and reevaluate the direction and leadership of our police department."
In his resignation letter, Kelsey said he accepted a job with another law enforcement agency that will "provide an appropriate income and a secure future" for him and his family.
Kelsey said he's deeply concerned with the current and future safety of Elmwood Place police, residents and businesses as Elmwood Place Village Council has continued to act with resistance.
He accused the council of not giving police officers proper support, not approving police fund requests, rejecting funds to retain employed officers, not supplying a police department budget and more.
"It is my honest belief that without immediate intervention by local, state and federal agencies that the Elmwood Place Police Department will disappear," Kelsey said.
Read Kelsey's full resignation statement below:
Chief Kelsey Resignation Le... by WCPO 9 News
Kelsey, employed since 2020, was one of the department's two full-time officers when he was named interim chief in April. Former Chief Eric Bartlet resigned and another officer quit before their shift that month.
In Bartlet's resignation letter to the village in April, he wrote in part: "The hard truths are staring at us. The desire to enter law enforcement, the evaporation of the hiring pool, and decision we as a Village have made sustaining a police department almost an impossibility. Departments of which pay substantially into the 80s and 90-thousands are having a tough time. If we do not rethink things and make changes of which need to be made our police department will disappear."
After the resignations, Kelsey and the only other remaining officer spoke about their concerns over scanners, discussing how they need to "pick and choose (their) battles wisely" without anyone to report to.
As of his resignation, Kelsey said there are no Elmwood Place police officers patrolling the village streets. He said there's a non-patrolling administrative lieutenant and one part-time officer that works six hours per month only in the mayor's court.
On Thursday, Spears issued a statement, arguing that some of the claims Kelsey made in his letter were false.
"We feel Mr. Kelsey's assertions are inaccurate, and based largely on assumptions regarding town funds which are simply untrue," reads Spears' statement, in part. "Village revenue has suffered significantly this year alone, with every department being affected across the board. The levee passed in May will not become an asset to the village until April of 2023. We feel Mr. Kelsey's statements are purposely misleading in this regard."
You can read Spears' full statement below:
Statement from Elmwood Place Mayor Ron Spears by WCPO 9 News on Scribd
READ MORE
Police arrest man who was wanted for Elmwood Place murder
'Are we allowed to pull people over?': Elmwood Place down to only 2 full-time police officers
Elmwood Place names interim police chief after department loses half of staff
