MIDDLETON, Idaho — The Middleton police chief has resigned ahead of the city council's meeting to remove him, according to the Middleton City Council president.
The Middleton City Council was about to take up action to possibly remove the city's police chief, Alan Takeuchi, per the mayor's request, according to a city council meeting agenda. However, the chief resigned Tuesday night ahead of the meeting, said city council president Rob Kiser.
Kiser just learned of the news Wednesday morning. There will no longer be discussion on the topic for the city council meeting, he told KTVB in a text message.
In addition, another police officer has resigned ahead of the decision about the chief.
In the meeting agenda packet for July 6, the city council was planning to consider police chief Alan Takeuchi's removal, pursuant to Idaho Code 50-206.
In a letter from Middleton Mayor Steve Rule to employees dated July 1, 2022, Takeuchi was on paid administrative leave and Middleton officer Greg Langley resigned from his position on June 29.
Sergeant Nathan Hilkey agreed to take over on an interim basis, the letter said.
The letter was circulated on Facebook from people within the Middleton community that some have said was posted on the Middleton website. The letter does not exist on the website, but its validity was confirmed by Rule.
In addition, the Middleton Police Department Facebook page can no longer be found and the department does not have a live website.
According to city council member Tim O’Meara, this issue came to light around two weeks ago. The council had a private executive session on June 27 to discuss the removal of a public official.
Rule told KTVB that this is a personnel matter, so the city will not be commenting.
Takeuchi has not yet responded to KTVB's request for comment.
According to the Idaho Press, he was made interim chief in 2017 after the former chief, Bryan Zimmerman, resigned.
The Middleton Police Department was created in 2014 after years of contracting with the Canyon County Sheriff's Office for law enforcement services.
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