After a 35-year career and a months long battle with Fairhope Mayor Karin Wilson, Fairhope police chief Joseph Petties announced his retirement last week; for good this time.
In June, Petties attended a city council meeting declaring he was retiring – only to rescind his retirement minutes later.
After receiving a standing ovation from the council Petties made a statement on why he was retiring; saying Wilson bullied him and made false accusations against him. “There are times when you don’t always see eye to eye with your supervisor,” Petties told the council, WKRG reported. “But the treatment that I’ve been subjected to as grown to the point that it can’t be ignored.”
This time however, Petties named other reasons for his announcement, saying his family is battling a lot of health issues, and he did not feel comfortable taking leave. “It’s come to the point that I’m going to step down as police chief,” Petties told WABF on Thursday. “I met with a couple of councilmen and talked to the rest on the phone. I’m going to put my family first.”
WABF radio host Lori DuBose asked Petties if the negative performance review and resignation request from Wilson had anything to do with his retirement, to which he replied “A lot of that played a part, but at the end of the day, I know it has been tough on my family,” The Courier reported. “Right now, the way I’m looking at it, I”m not going to make it about what was going on in the past. I’m looking at what is going on with my parents and that’s how I’m approaching this.”
“Your service and your decitation; your humbleness, the way you handle yourself, this department and our citizens is beyond reproach. Thank you so much for your service,” DuBose said.
Petties retirement is effective August 10.
