KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Former Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS) Chief Karianne Thomas, who retired from her position at the end of September, was actually fired by the City, according to a report from WOOD TV.
Last September, the city had announced her retirement after serving 27 years with the department. City documents state Thomas was eligible for full retirement as of 2017 and would receive a one-year severance package, per her contract.
On Tuesday, Kalamazoo City Deputy Manager Jeff Chamberlain confirmed with WOOD TV that Thomas had been terminated without cause, rather than stepping down. Chamberlain also confirmed that she would receive severance pay.
MLive also noted that had Thomas been fired with cause, she would not have received a severance package.
She was then replaced in October by now-Chief Vernon Coakley, who started on October 1.
“Chief Thomas has truly been an outstanding public safety chief and community leader and we wish her and her family all the best in her retirement,” City Manager Jim Ritsema said in a statement at that time. “Chief Thomas helped build an outstanding department that has become a model for public safety services across the nation and we look forward to working with Chief Coakley to build on KDPS’ many successes and continue its track record of service and safety.”
Thomas had served with KDPS as the Chief since 2017.
The announcement of her retirement in September came after a turbulent summer season, during which Kalamazoo citizens aimed criticism at how KDPS had handled protests in the city. Those criticisms included how KDPS handled Black Lives Matter protests after the death of George Floyd. During that protest, officers deployed tear gas on participants.
In August, further criticism was aimed at officials over a Proud Boys rally that turned violent and had less police presence than the Black Lives Matter protests.
Following that event, citizens had called City Commissioners during subsequent meetings to voice their disappointment with how the event was handled, including having Thomas be replaced. Some callers had also expressed their desire for city leaders to step down, as well.
Since then, the city of Kalamazoo has hired an outside California-based firm OIR Group to investigate those incidents and conduct a Use-of-Force Study of KDPS.
In addition, Chief Coakley and other KDPS representatives recently announced their plans to improve police relations in the Kalamazoo community by outlining a set of goals during a city budget meeting this week.
More information on those goals can be viewed here.
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