Sturgeon aldermen, mayor want police chief out

With less than two months until his term expires, the mayor of Sturgeon has requested the resignation of the city police Chief Greg Halderman.

A letter signed by the mayor asking for Halderman’s resignation was sent to Halderman on Wednesday. The letter said if he didn’t resign, a removal hearing would be held March 27 at 8:30 p.m.

ABC 17 News spoke on Thursday with Halderman who said he was on his way to St. Louis to speak with a lawyer about the situation.

Mayor Gene Kelly said all questions from the media are going through the city attorney, Jeff Kays. Kelly said Kays will also be representing the aldermen.

“The city of Sturgeon has no comment on this issue at this time,” Kays said. “The city wants to protect the process and ensure that employees personal employment information is protected and also protect the rights of an employee to respond and defend himself pursuant to state law.”

The mayor also released a statement in regards to a closed door meeting that took place Tuesday night. The statement read:

“A closed meeting pursuant to Section 610.021(3) RSMo was held on 3/14/17. At that time a motion to table the discussion and schedule a removal hearing pursuant to Section 106.273 RSMo at a closed meeting on 3/27/17 at 8:30 pm was passed unanimously by the City of Sturgeon Board of Alderman.”

ABC 17 News spoke with residents of Sturgeon who said they’ve never had a problem with Halderman. One resident who has lived in Sturgeon for 17 years said there seems to always be an issue between the police chief and the city board, regardless of who is serving at the time.

Another resident said she feels the city in general needs change. She said she believes the town needs a new mayor and aldermen.

The request for Halderman’s resignation comes days after the chief filed a complaint with the attorney general against Alderman Tyler Patterson.

In the complaint, Halderman alleged Patterson had copied a personnel file and left the City Hall with the copy.

There have been complaints filed against Halderman in the past. In July 2016, he shot a Sturgeon resident who he believed had pointed a firearm at him. The firearm turned out to be a BB gun. Halderman was cleared of any wrongdoing.

In 2015, a complaint was filed against Halderman by a city employee who claimed the chief had pointed a firearm at his face. Halderman claimed he was testing out a service weapon and the gun was not loaded.