Regardless of the Community, the POlice Chief is a major personnage in the Community. Under normal conditions, when faced with similar circumstances, most Town Managers would call a closed seesion of the Town Council; present the evidence and report; and seek support from the Council.

Now, the Council might call for further review or investigation; they might call for an outside investigation such as by the SBI; they might call for a closed session meeting with the Chief to allow his response to the allegations.

But, I have never seen a Town Manager handle this type of situation on his own. There should have been review and consideration by the Council on a topic of this nature.

After all, the Council is the body elected by the voting public.

At the very least, an alternate plan might have entailed a meeting with the Town's attorney.

The Council now has an obligation to review both the Town Manager for his mismanagement and the Chief for a whole laundry list of issues.

Council -- fail in performing your duties, hopefully the voters will remember your dereliction of duty when you come up for re-election.

This comedy of errors causes one to wonder if the Chief has secret files, including photos, of the Town Manager & Town Council ala J Edgar Hoover.