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EDITORIALS |
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THE TRUTH ABOUT MY RETIREMENT FROM THE ABBEVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT- BY RETIRED CHIEF BILLY WALKER
Yes I was forced into retirement. Yes I and my wife are in good health. Yes I served Abbeville faithfully from 1991 until 2008, working weekends,nights, holidays, and anytime someone wanted or needed off. Yes 4 members of the city council voted to bring in a policeman from another town for me to train, to take my job, and pay him a lot more than me.Yes that is enough to force anyone into retirement. Yes I had executive training, certifications, and the experience to be Chief. Yes I loved my job and was not ready to retire yet . Yes I miss the job everyday. Yes I considered my job a "Calling and more than just a job". Yes I have talked to several hundred tax payers in Abbeville and theyall say they wanted me to be their Chief. Yes I believe that city council members should represent the tax payers who voted them in and vote according to the taxpayers wishes. Yes I did work many hours from my residence off-the-clock on my own time saving the taxpayers thousands of dollars. Yes I did repair the computers and computer network for Abbeville without charging any fees many times, saving the taxpayers thousands of dollars. Yes I was already certified as Chief Of Police and would have saved the taxpayers over a thousand dollars to get me certified. Yes I am certified as "Chief Clerk of Municipal Court for the City of Abbeville" and have several years experience as Chief Clerk saving the taxpayers the added expense(thousands of dollars) of hiring, training and payroll for another employee to fill that job. Yes I have been attending all the required courses to be "Chief of Police" and "Chief Clerk of Court". Yes I have done mechanic work on our police vehicles for free saving the taxpayers thousands of dollars. Yes I have designed, written, installed, and donated many computer programs for the city saving the taxpayers thousands of dollars. Yes I was saving the taxpayers money by riding a golf cart for short trips in town to save gas. Yes I treated people with compassion, understanding, and dignity. Yes I brought honesty, integrity, and openness to the job of "Assistant Chief". Yes I treated people like I would like to be treated. Yes I did not judge anyone, I left that for The Court.
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