WORTHING (AP) - The city of Worthing has lost its third police chief in less than a year.
The City Council voted Monday to fire Matthew Hess, a former Watertown Police Department officer, The Argus Leader reported.
Hess was hired at a salary of $40,000 a year, with a six-month probationary period.
Mayor Eric Saugstad would not discuss the reason for the termination, saying only that the matter is a personnel issue.
Before Hess, Worthing had hired Brion Kimball, who resigned in May and is now the police chief in Centerville.
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Kimball left Worthing during his probationary period after about a month on the job.
The city fired longtime chief Roger Knutson in December. Knutson, who was chief for 24 years, said at the time that personal conflicts with City Administrator Jeffery Tanner were at the heart of the problem.
The council has not moved toward hiring a new chief.
Saugstad said that residents in the town of 900 remain safe.
“At this point, I don’t wish to comment on the state of the department. What I can tell you is that the city does continue to have police coverage,” Saugstad said.
The town has three part-time police officers.
