Keys resigns from Scott City police

Former Chaffee police chief Martin Keys resigned a position he had accepted on the Scott City Police Department after only one week of work, Scott City Police Chief Don Cobb said Wednesday.

"He didn't want to be a distraction to the department," Cobb said of Keys. "He appreciated the chance that we gave him, but felt like it's a little too soon."

The Scott City Council voted unanimously to approve the Scott City police board's recommendation to hire Keys on Aug. 20. Keys turned in his resignation on Sept. 1, after only a week of work and only two days after the Southeast Missourian printed an article saying Scott City had hired him.

Keys served as police chief in Chaffee from August 2006 to July 2007, when he resigned citing only "personal reasons."

During his time as Chaffee chief Keys' department was consumed by controversy, starting with a fatal police chase last September. In February an officer under Keys' command was charged with patronizing prostitution, and those charges were dropped after witnesses in the case recanted their testimony.