Tonight KATC is talking one-on-one with former Lafayette Police Chief Thomas Glover, who was fired Thursday after just 10 months on the job.
The Guillory administration won't say why Glover was fired, calling it a "personnel matter." KATC spoke with Glover, who says he wasn't given any explanation as to why he was fired, adding that there was no investigation. Glover tells us he was terminated by Chief Administrative Officer Cydra Wingerter and did not speak to Mayor-President Josh Guillory.
Watch KATC'S full interview with former Lafayette Police Chief Thomas Glover:
"I wasn't given a reason for my termination. I will be getting legal advice on what went down. There's nothing to investigate misconduct on my behalf, no poor performance," said Glover. "In fact, at my age I have more energy than half the people my age and I can attest that the people inside the headquarters will tell you. I've been like that all my life so there was nothing there."
He also says he believes there is an issue of politics within the department that needs to be addressed.
One example he gave is that he felt people who were nice to him were targeted by higher-ups. He believes that's a reason a past police union president was voted out of office last May.
He says another example is that while he stood by his decision to fire an officer who punched an inmate in the stomach while admitting him, the department disagreed.
"They contended that the firing was excessive, that he was trained to do that," Glover said. "And I'm like, 'No, you're not trained to punch somebody in the stomach who's not fighting or resisting you. You can't commit a crime to enforce the law.'"
Glover says he believes he should still be on the job and will always be proud that he was Lafayette's first Black police chief.
"It was an honor. I was grateful for the City of Lafayette, I am grateful to the City of Lafayette for accepting me. That's the city - I'm not referring to north or south, but the entire city," he said. "I'm grateful that the mayor gave me an opportunity to serve."
The former chief says his next move is to hire a lawyer, then take a step back for awhile to spend time with his family.
Our team coverage will continue tonight at 10, when Eman Boyd will have reaction to Glover's firing from residents.
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