Top officials and most of a US Midwestern town’s police force quit after an African American female was elected as mayor.
Almost an entire small-minded police force and several top officials of a tiny Missouri city have quit, citing ‘safety concerns’, after their first African American mayor was elected.
The election victory of Tyrus Byrd, 40 years old, in Parma was short-lived as soon after her win, five of the city’s six police officers resigned, as well as the city attorney, clerk and water treatment supervisor, the Daily Mail reports.
Ms Byrd, born and raised in the city and sworn into office last week, said she was not sure why the employees quit.
She said instead of focusing on the spate of departures, the city’s election of its first African American mayor should be celebrated.
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According to the US Census Bureau, of the 713 people living in the small city, 57 per cent are white and 41 per cent are black.
Supporters took to social media to publicly back Ms Byrd and voiced their outrage on Twitter.
Residents didn’t seem overly concerned about losing five-sixths of their police force, saying they hardly ever saw police patrolling the city anyway.
“I think it was pretty dirty the way they all quit without giving her a chance, but I don’t think they hurt the town any by quitting because who needs six police for 740 people?” resident Martha Miller told local news station KFVS.
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The tiny city, 175 miles south of St. Louis, has little crime, apart from a spate of recent break-ins, according to resident Barry Aycock.
Outgoing mayor Randall Ramsey said he also had no idea why the officers – most of whom were part time and also worked for surrounding towns – resigned, but they cited ‘safety concerns’.
Mr Ramsey served as mayor for 37 years, before being ousted at the recent election.
Let’s hope the recently unemployed city workers don’t discover Barack Obama is their President. They may have to leave the country.
Top Comments
Gee, I thought no means no, not ridicule for not wanting to continue something you have stated as causes concern for your safety.
In any event; notwithstanding that no one should ever be questioned for saying "No more, please", this article seems crazy in that the reasons for them quitting have been assumed without the most cursory thought to other possibilities (maybe a feud amongst families in such a small town that has seen one member of one of the families elected, that they were "jobs for the boys" fellows attached to the old long serving mayor and did not expect to survive her first review of positions, they were guys that like to work together and one leaving has had a knock on effect on others).
None of those reasons are acceptable in a professional environment either!!
They would have known people would jump to conclusions about why they all quit, so if they were doing so to protest another, legitimate reason, they should have made an official statement about it.
No means no, not having to put out an official statement why you don't want to continue. They probably quite possibly small minded people as the article states, being only clever enough to know that a shut mouth gathers no foot but this article assumes a lot and assume makes an ass of u and me.
Has anybody confirmed it's the colour of her skin? Perhaps it's her policies they have taken offence to? If true, it's disgusting, but if not then let's not sensationalise it please.