Posted on 09/16/2015 7:22:34 PM PDT by MarvinStinson
SURF CITY, N.C.(WECT) – Surf City Police Chief Mike Halstead has retired effective immediately following a Tuesday emergency meeting called about a Facebook post he made.
Major Ron Shanahan will take over as interim chief. Town leaders and Halstead have agreed on severance pay following his decision to retire.
According to Town Manager Larry Bergman, Surf City Mayor Zander Guy called the emergency meeting in reference to Halstead’s post he made to his personal page on Sept. 3. Bergman said he spoke with Halstead about the post after it was brought to his attention.
He said he reminded him “that as public employees we are often held to higher level of scrutiny and that even if it is a personal social media account and despite not associating himself directly to the Town in his posting, that some will draw the connection.”
Bergman also said the chief is apologetic for how his statements have been interpreted, and that he removed the post on his own accord.
The emergency meeting was held at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Surf City Town Hall.
Wednesday morning a group gathered outside of the Police Department holding signs that said “Honk for Halstead” and “We Support Chief Halstead.”
“I was shocked and disgusted with our Town Council,” said Brandy Cuff, who was part of the protest. “No other words, just disgust.” She said Halstead was unfairly forced to retire. “We have freedom of speech,” Cuff said.”Someone who spent 35 years of dedicated service can’t post his opinion, or have an opinion about that? Someone who has to watch his fellow brothers in uniform be murdered, he can’t have an opinion? It makes no sense.”
Cuff also said it was unfair that there was no notice about Tuesday’s Emergency Meeting. Cuff said many community members would have come out to support Halstead, had they known about the meeting. “They gave no notice to the members of this community that have supported him for 17 years. They threw him under the bus and turned their backs on him.”
Here is the original post from the chief:
Open letter from a Police Chief , this Black Lives Matter group is nothing more than an American born terrorist group brought on by the lie of the hands up don’t shoot during the criminal thug Michael Brown incident. The FBI and other Government Law Enforcement groups need to step up and put a stop to this. The Government and blacks would not tolerate the White Supremacist group to march through the streets and call for the murders of a race of people and a group of public servants. I agree there is a race problem in this country. It is not brought on by police officer doing their sworn duty, it is brought on by the government, the President and his cronies Al Sharpton, who is a criminal tax evader (but has the support of our so called President), Jessi Jackson, Eric Holder and that ignorant S.O.B. Farrakhan who should be charged with solicitation for murder, lord knows a white man would be arrested for the same actions of idiot Farakhan. I am sure there are many hard working Black people who will agree with me. I have been a Police Officer for 35 years. I do not judge anyone by the color of their skin, but by there actions. A criminal is a criminal whether a police officer or any other profession. I will not state statistics because black lives matter do not care or believe proven statistics. I put allot of the blame for these cop murders on the media and the way they report police related shootings. There is no need to list or even state the race of a person shot by the police. It is more important to wait for the facts and report those. But and a big but that does not make money for these greedy media ass holes. When a black thug is killed by the police they are all over it as is Mr. Barack Obama. However when a police officer white, black or any race is murdered for doing his job the media is short with it’s reporting or not at all. When a white person is killed by a black officer you hear nothing. Has our so called President spoke publicly about these murders of police officers by blacks, HELL NO he has not. Step up Mr. President, or step down because we do not need you. Has our Attorney General spoke against these murders, no of course not because she was appointed by Barack Obama. Now let me say this, and this is not a threat but common knowledge. I have instructed my officers to be vigilant, if threatened take appropriate action. If that means shoot a thug, then do it and answer for it while you are still alive not dead. Law Enforcement is fed up with this murderous society who want to take out those who protect and serve. Imagine if all law enforcement shut down for just 1 day. There would be murders, rapes, robberies, you name it. America wake up, all of you black, white, Mexican whatever you need the police, we do not need you. End this Black Lives Matter bull shit and start a movement that all lives matter. As for the New Black Panther movement who wants to kill whites and cops, go for it, we are ready for you. You take one of us and there will be 100 who will step up and end you. This letter is not meant to offend anyone, just the feelings of a man who has spent the last 35 years of his life serving and protecting, for what so a thug can take it or to be treated as a criminal by the very people I swore to protect. Let’s get this around folks so maybe our President and the media will get a wake up call. Be safe all of my Brothers and Sisters in blue, not white, black, yellow or brown BLUE.
Halstead later responded Tuesday night on Facebook to the outcome of this incident saying:
“I want to thank you all for your support. I was forced to retire or be terminated. I had to beg for a 60 day severance to feed my family. That was the thanks I got from those I thought were family, I was thrown under the bus for expressing my 1st amendment rights and speaking the truth and concerns for law enforcement. I want to thank all of the folks in Surf City for your support. It was my pleasure to serve you. Thank you to my officers for your dedication, I will miss everyone of you. I would like to apologize to my family for letting you down. I also apologize to those I have offended, that was not my intent. I have served proudly for 35 years without a blemish. I guess to some Surf City Leaders that has no meaning. I guess I will learn to eat beanie wienies for a few months. I love you all.”
Wednesday morning a group gathered outside of the Police Department holding signs that said “Honk for Halstead” and “We Support Chief Halstead.”
“I was shocked and disgusted with our Town Council,” said Brandy Cuff, who was part of the protest. “No other words, just disgust.” She said Halstead was unfairly forced to retire. “We have freedom of speech,” Cuff said.”Someone who spent 35 years of dedicated service can’t post his opinion, or have an opinion about that? Someone who has to watch his fellow brothers in uniform be murdered, he can’t have an opinion? It makes no sense.”
Cuff also said it was unfair that there was no notice about Tuesday’s Emergency Meeting. Cuff said many community members would have come out to support Halstead, had they known about the meeting. “They gave no notice to the members of this community that have supported him for 17 years. They threw him under the bus and turned their backs on him.”
“I wasn’t ready for him to retire and I don’t think he was either, he has a lot of great ideas that will make this community better,” said Dorothy Royal, a resident and business owner in Surf City. “Halstead is a fantastic Chief. You can just pick up the phone and call him. He will talk to you, he will answer your questions. He has supported what we do in the community, we gave a gun safety camp this summer for kids that he was a sponsored of.”
As for the post, she said she agrees with it and doesn’t think it is fair that it caused him to retire. The group said they will be out protesting again on Friday or Saturday, they also plan to be at the next Town Council Meeting on October 6.
WECT also reached out to the local and state NAACP. President of the New Hanover NAACP, Deborah Maxwell said that she brought the post to Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II’s attention. He is the President of the North Carolina NAACP. She said they are going to release a statement.
Agree with everything he said and I am sure millions of other Americans do as well.
Going to surf city going to have some fun.¶ sounds of kalifornica.
May your chains rest lightly...
Great idea.
“In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” - George Orwell
If confronted by a homicidal #blacklivesmatter member the only thing i will feel is recoil.
*****************************************************************
That right there is tag line quality but I like the one I already have.
” Bill and Hillary Clinton are the penicillin-resistant syphilis of our political system.”
Well thank you, but I do rather like yours. It’s both graphic and yet humorous at the same time.
CC
The Satanic force unleashed from the WH in 2008 can’t stand the truth. Not one bit.
Ping
I am beginning to think those who post pictures of Michelle Obama should be held liable for the PTSD, nausea, headache, and other debilitating symptoms resulting therefrom.
Now that I think about it, that should apply to pictures of her husband, what’s-his-name, as well.
I can’t wait to be rid of them, although I fear we will never really be rid of them. Neither has the grace or good manners to retire and let us recover in peace.
Okay, that’s actionable!
You're right... we should all be compliant little monkeys.
He was correct. They’re killing police officers. No difference between BLM and muslim terrorists.
When did it become illegal to call a terrorist group a terrorist group in America?
When Soros said so
I see public office in his future.
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