Published: November 11, 2008 12:51 am      

Lone Oak fires police officer; chief resigns, new chief hired

LONE OAK — — The Lone Oak city council, following a lengthy executive session Monday night, voted to terminate a police officer, Wade Kern, and accepted the immediate resignation of the police chief, Michael Dozier. The council also hired a new police chief, Wayne Pickett, though the item was not on the agenda.

However, Kern told the Herald-Banner that he in fact resigned and was then fired.

“I turned in my letter of resignation, saying I could not work in the corrupt environment,” Kern said. “The mayor stormed out and said, ‘You’re fired.’”

Lone Oak mayor Lisa Willis stated in the meeting that Kern did not resign but was terminated for unspecified reasons.

Kern said that before the city council voted to terminate him he received a certified letter on Monday saying his termination was considered less than honorable.

But last Friday, Kern showed the Herald-Banner a copy of his resignation letter, dated before his termination, as well as meticulous copies of records that indicate his accusations against the city may be correct. Included in those documents was a copy of a ticket he had written to a city official’s loan officer, which Kern alleges was later ripped up by that official to keep from interfering in an attempt to get a loan.

Kern’s register indeed shows he issued a ticket on Sept. 27 to an Emory bank loan officer for going 69 in a 45, but the ticket numbers on file for that day show that one is skipped and there is no record of a ticket issued except in Kern’s register.

Kern also alleged that his firing was retribution for refusing to behave in unethical actions relating to writing tickets to certain people.

“The chief and the mayor both told me to back off on issuing tickets to (certain individuals),” Kern said. “Tickets are being quashed for certain people and not for others.”

Dozier resigned, despite recently signing a one-year lease on a home in Lone Oak.

“It’s for the best I guess,” he said as he left the meeting. “There’s nothing else to do.”

Pickett was introduced after the executive session, with Dozier turning over the Lone Oak police cell phone before exiting the building.

Pickett, who lost a bid to be Rains County Sheriff last week, served for 9 1/2 years as a police officer in Farmersville.

The reorganization of the police force follows the resignation, reportedly under pressure, of the previous chief during the summer at which time Kern was brought in as interim chief.

In other action the council raised the water and sewer tap fee from $500 to $750 each, and enacted a $25 utility transfer fee for residents moving from one meter to another.