EATONVILLE, Fla. — Eatonville’s mayor has seized the power of the town’s police chief a day after he won his job back.
Less than 24 hours after the Eatonville Town Council reinstated Chief Eric McIntyre following five hours of debate, Mayor Anthony Grant held a meeting with rank-and-file officers Wednesday to tell them the chief isn’t in command.
Grant said Deputy Chief Joseph Jenkins will remain in charge of day-to-day operations for several weeks as McIntyre focuses on “special duties.”
Jenkins was reinstated following a nine-week suspension and recommendation for termination for conducting an illegal search, town officials said.
McIntyre was fired last week, three weeks after being promoted to chief, for administrative challenges, such as truthfulness and tardiness at meetings, the town said.
"It took a toll on my family, but overall we made it through,” McIntyre said.
His attorney argued the mayor didn’t have the authority to fire McIntyre and that he was denied due process.
Grant is also the subject of a criminal grand jury. Officials met Wednesday to consider election-fraud charges against him.