Stallings police chief on leave for ‘hostile work environment'

STALLINGS, N.C.,None — The Stalling police chief is under fire from his own employees on charges he has created a hostile work environment.

Chief Mike Dummett was placed on paid administrative leave Monday morning, according to town officials.

Town Manager Brian Matthews emailed the department's officers, informing them of the move but said it is not a disciplinary action.

Matthews has been meeting with officers for interviews as part of an internal investigation, but said he is considering asking the town council for funding to hire an independent investigator.

Dummett would not comment on the allegations, saying he is "waiting on the completion of the investigation."

Town officials are defending Dummett, saying he has created an exemplary performance record since his hire in December 2010.

In a statement, Mayor Lynda Paxton said, "The Chief is providing excellent leadership and service to the town. It is not unexpected that there might be some difficulty adjusting to new standards and procedures and I anticipate that any complaints will be resolved quickly."

Another council member, Wyatt Dunn, said he was shocked by the news.

Dummett has been praised for instituting new accreditation standards for the department, paring down the budget by eliminating costs on uniforms and Tasers, and raising the case clearance rate to nearly 55 percent, which is well above national standards.

Matthews said he does not know how long the investigation will take.

WSOC