The Olton Police Chief was fired in a called meeting of the Olton City Council Wednesday. The Olton Enterprise reported that the called meeting included two executive sessions, and the council voted in open session to terminate Police Chief Joe Banda on a unanimous vote.
Banda, has been on administrative leave since January 2017 according to information previously released by the city. Following the first executive session, a public hearing was held, based on a written complaint concerning the police chief. Listed in that complaint were numerous allegations including, failure to properly train police department employees, failure to properly maintain police department equipment, failure to comply with a written directive from the Olton Mayor to report for a duty evaluation by a licensed physician along with other serious allegations. Following the statement by the Mayor, Chief Banda and his attorney were allowed ten minutes to make their statement. Banda’s attorney summed up the cause of most allegations to be the fault of the City, noting that the City would not fund to hire officers to fully staff the department and would not properly equip the department.
The City of Olton only had two officers to patrol the entire city 24 hours a day seven days a week. Chief Banda’s attorney indicated they are exploring legal options against the City.
KLVT News 