Umatilla police chief faces termination

UMATILLA, Fla. — Umatilla's long-time police chief is in trouble.

Chief Doug Foster was suspended Monday after officials said he allowed two young teens to be questioned without their parents.

Umatilla's eight-person police force is without a chief. And some residents of the small town say it's not right.

"I really don't think they should fire him over that. He's not even the one who did the interrogation himself," said one resident.

Foster has been suspended and faces termination over a case last month when one of his officers questioned two 13-year-old boys accused of beating another child with a stick.

When the interrogation took place, the teens' parents were not in the room, violating a city policy that's been in effect for nine years.

"In 2004, a memo was written by the then-city administrator that stated this type of thing would not go on," said Umatilla City Manager Glenn Irby.

Foster has a lawyer. A termination hearing could be held next week

WFTV