Jackson Mayor Says Solicitations For Tennessee Chiefs Of Police Association Within JPD Will Cease

October 5, 2012 Jackson TN – Jackson Mayor Says Solicitations For Tennessee Chiefs Of Police Association Within JPD Will Cease

There has been an announcement from Jackson City Mayor Jerry Gist regarding a story you heard exclusively on this station.

An investigation including a search of emails and interviews revealed that Jackson Chief of Police, Gill Kendrick, apparently used his office to solicit funds and contributions in his role as a member of a professional association. According to correspondence obtained by WNWS the Chief not only used his office, but also, instructed several of those under him to solicit on his behalf and some of this work was done on taxpayer's time. For some under his command this raised concerns of policy violations and ethical conduct

Today, Mayor Jerry Gist made a statement about the future direction in the department regarding soliciting for this Chiefs Association fundraiser.

Mayor Gist said, after accessing the situation and discussing it with Chief Kendrick, Gist says he and the Chief have decided that solicitations by the Chief for the fundraiser of the Tennessee Chiefs of Police Association will cease. The Chief will also cease directing other officers to solicit on his behalf.

The decision to cease comes after the donations have already been soliciated and collected.  According to documents, the fundraiser was in September.

Gist said in the statement that he was aware of the soliciting and it was being done with his approval.

He said that soliciting funds and donations for the state association scholarship fund would stop because he wanted the city staff and personnel's attention fully on the people who live here and come to the area.

According to their TACP website applications are limted to association member's dependants, the deadline to apply was May 12, 2012 and the scholarship was awarded May 21, 2012.

.