The former Meredosia Police Chief, 48 year old Curtis Williams, has resigned.
It was reported in the Jacksonville Journal-Courier Saturday morning that a letter of resignation from Williams was apparently circulated amongst members of the Meredosia board during a special village board meeting on Thursday.
Mayor David Werries told the local paper the village will begin a process of selecting a new chief soon.
Williams is a resident of rural Chambersburg, so the charges of domestic battery and aggravated assault are being brought against him in Pike County court. His arraignment was not completed on January 29th, as it was extended and scheduled for March 5th at 9:15. Representing the prosecution is Pike County State’s Attorney Zachary P. Boren. Williams is being represented in defense by attorney Anthony B. Cameron.
Williams is alleged to have placed a gun to the back of a female’s head, reported as a family or household member, on December 8th. He then accepted $4,500 per month since his arrest plus benefits from the village of Meredosia while on administrative leave.
This resignation is the latest in a series of chief resignations, dramatic appointments, and other police department turmoil in the area. Wes Helmich resigned as chief from the Virginia Police Department in December after an August arrest for Driving Under the Influence.
And it was reported earlier this week that in Beardstown, former South Jacksonville part-time officer Martin Coad was established as a temporary police chief by Beardstown mayor Leslie Harris after the city council had denied his appointment as chief by way of a 6-2 vote. Coad is the fourth police chief to serve in the Beardstown department in just a little over 100 days.
Reportedly, near the beginning of November last year, former Police Chief Shane Hunt was dismissed for reasons that remain unknown. On November 21st, after serving just two weeks on the job, then-Police Chief Kevin Murray announced his resignation, with the main reason of the decision being what he referred to as a misinformed City Council. Also, the Journal-Courier reported just last Sunday, February 17th, that Travis Birdsell was still the acting chief after volunteering to fill the position last year. However, their latest report from Beardstown says that Martin Coad will now move forward as temporary chief after his appointment by Mayor Harris.