OK Town Fires Police Chief, Loses Additional Officers

An Oklahoma police department has been reduced dramatically, after the city council voted to fire the police chief, prompting many others to leave the force as well. Pocola Police Chief Eric Helms was fired Tuesday night, leading eleven officers and dispatchers to resign. The mayor and city council voted for Helms to be fired. Mayor Jerl Mitchell refuses to say why, but says hes not concerned about having only one full-time police officer, saying nearby law enforcement will help out. Pocola resident Fairia Sargent says firing Helms was a bad decision. "I think the council was completely wrong on how they went about firing Eric. They didnt give him a chance to fix anything he did wrong, if he did anything wrong," Sargent says. This isnt the first time Helms has been fired. The last time, the city council fired him for no reason and he was re-hired. Helms says this time is no different. "They refuse to give me a reason why. They gave me some lame reasons," Helms says. Helms says, most of all, hes concerned for the community of Pocola. "I apologize for what everyone is having to go through, the so-called ignorance of the council, not really knowing what theyre doing," he says. Helms also says, if given the chance, he would definitely return to his position as police chief. "Ive been on the board to be fired before, and survived it. Ive watched several councils come and go. Ill watch this council come and go. Ill be back," he says. Helms says the police department was already busy, but now with only one officer, he says he doesnt know how they are going to manage.