Toledo Police Officer Ben Engle handed in his resignation effective immediately to acting Toledo Police Chief Bob Kendall on Friday morning, March 16.
Engle's action came on the heels of the firing of Police?Chief Jeff Harnish on Monday night on a 3-2 council vote. The letter of resignation did not state a reason, but Engle wrote he would be taking two weeks vacation time due him.
With Engle gone, the five member department is left with only two full-time officers.
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Ben Engle
Council members and Mayor Dave Svoboda met in an emergency session at noon Friday. Svoboda said he had talked Friday morning with Tama Mayor Dan Zimmerman and been assured the Tama Police Department would be of assistance as needed. Kendall said Tama Police?Chief Dan Wilkens offered the same assuarnce.
A second officer, Jason Dunagan, left the force on Feb. 29 to accept the position as Dysart police chief creating the vacancy.
It was decided on Friday councill Public Safety Committee members Elmer "Skip" Wilson and Jeff Filoon and acting chief Kendall will meet this weekend to review the 14 applicants received for Dunagan's position.
They hoped to interview candidates on Monday and bring a recommendation for hiring for at least one of the patrol postions to the full council at a meeting already scheduled for last night.
Engle had served on the police department since November, 2007.
At a special council meeting held ta noon on March 14, counicl members voted to advertise the cief of police position with applications due by April 9.
At neither special meeting or at the regular meeting on March 12 was the reason for Harnish's dismisall revealed.
He had served as chief since October, 2003. His current pay was $47,994 annually.