Smith resigns as Greenfield Police Chief; Mathews will remain as interim
Former Greenfield Police Chief Danny Smith resigned during the monthly meeting of the City of Greenfield Mayor and Board of Aldermen on Jan. 9.
Greenfield City Mayor Cindy McAdams says that Jeff Mathews will continue to serve as the Interim Police Chief until a replacement is hired after the former Police Chief Danny Smith submitted his letter of resignation to McAdams and the Board of Aldermen during the city’s monthly board meeting on Jan. 9.
During the portion of the meeting designated for public comment, Smith approached the lectern telling the board, “Tonight, I want to resign and I want to ask you to accept my resignation,” Smith said. “I decided to resign this position and it came after a lot of careful consideration. It’s time for me to join my former chiefs in retirement.
“I served this city with all of my heart and have given my best to this community and I hope with all of my heart that the city has been a little safer since I have been here.”
Smith went on to thank his family, the citizens of Greenfield and especially the former colleagues with the Greenfield Police Department.
Later in the meeting, when Mathews came up to give his monthly report to the board, he told them that he will not seek the vacated Police Chief position. Mathews said that he and Smith have known each other for nearly three decades and that he did not want to take the job because of his friendship with the former police chief.
“He’s been a dear friend and I’ve been blessed. In the time I have been working under him he’s been a friend and a mentor, even though I am older than him,” Mathews said. “I just wanted to say thank you to him for the opportunity to come and work under him. That being said, I know there will be an opening. I will not be pursuing the [the position of] chief of police in Greenfield.”
The next day, on Jan. 10, McAdams said that she has accepted Smith’s resignation and that the city will move forward with a search for a new Top Cop in Greenfield.
Greenfield Interim Police Chief Jeff Mathews announced during the monthly City of Greenfield Mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting on Jan. 9 that he will not seek out the role of chief after former police chief Danny Smith resigned earlier in the meeting on Tuesday night.
“I have accepted the resignation of Danny Smith as chief of police for the Greenfield Police Department, effective as of time it was tendered to me and the Board at last night’s City Board meeting. Chief Smith has provided over 30 years of invaluable service to both the City of Greenfield and to law enforcement in general, and I publicly thank him again for his service to the City and its citizens,” McAdams said. “Interim Police Chief Jeff Mathews will remain as the Interim Chief of Police for the City of Greenfield pending the completion of a public search for a chief of police. I will begin making the arrangements for a public search for a new Chief of Police at the end of this week and will keep the citizens updated as the search process progresses forward over the next several weeks.”
Smith was placed on administrative leave on Dec. 12 by the board after being arrested on Dec. 10. Smith is charged with two counts of domestic assault. His charges are still pending.
