Miner aldermen find chief guilty on 2 articles of impeachment

MINER, Mo. -- Aldermen unanimously found city police chief Christopher Griggs guilty Monday on two articles of impeachment, the next step in the board's effort to oust him.

The four-member board dropped two other articles of impeachment.

Griggs will continue to serve as police chief for now. City attorney Tabatha Thurman said after the three-hour hearing in the city courtroom she will now have to draw up a document outlining the board's "findings of fact."

Griggs, who has a pending civil suit against the board, said after the meeting he and his attorney will appeal the board's impeachment action.

"I feel this is completely unfair," Griggs said after the hearing. Griggs, who is an elected official, said he plans to continue to serve the city as its police chief.

Community members gather in the city courtroom to listen as the Miner, Missouri, aldermen were presented articles of impeachment against police chief Christopher Griggs on Monday in Miner.KASSI JACKSON

Aldermen found Griggs guilty of failing to work 40 hours a week and be on call at all times as required by city ordinance, and refusing the board's order to reinstate a part-time police dispatcher.

The board dropped an article of impeachment accusing Griggs of bullying city employees after Thurman said she had no witnesses to present on that issue.

The fourth article of impeachment accused Griggs of having a sexual video of his wife on his office computer in violation of the employee handbook.

But the aldermen agreed to drop that article of impeachment after Griggs' attorney James McClellan raised chain-of-custody issues regarding a forensic investigation of that office computer.

The board heard testimony from several witnesses despite repeated objections from McClellan of Sikeston, Missouri.

Miner, Missouri, Police Chief Christopher Griggs listens as aldermen are presented articles of impeachment against him Monday in Miner.KASSI JACKSON

McClellan complained much of the testimony involved "hearsay" and his client's constitutional rights were violated.

McClellan argued the board should be disqualified from hearing the impeachment case because of "bias and prejudice." But board member Bill James, who presided over the hearing as mayor pro tem, denied the motion.

James has been in charge since the recent resignation of Mayor Darren Chapman. In resigning, the mayor stated he did not feel the board had the city's best interest in mind and he didn't wish to take part in "the direction the city is headed."

At the hearing, city clerk Darrin Skinner testified Griggs refused to work a 40-hour week despite repeated orders from the board.

Griggs often worked 25 to 30 hours a week, Skinner said.

Skinner said the city has to pay overtime to other officers to work shifts because the police chief has not worked the required hours. Griggs' actions put "a financial strain" on the city, he said.

The police chief missed 374 hours of work over a six-month period alone, Skinner said.

Former, part-time police dispatcher Laura Adams testified she was fired three times at the direction of the police chief.

She said twice the aldermen reinstated her only to have Griggs fire her again.

Testimony at the hearing indicated Griggs acted in violation of city law.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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