An hour-long special city board meeting ended Friday with the termination of a new Police Department hire.
Aldermen voted 5-0 after discussion in executive session to fire Joshua Strickland. Strickland had been hired three days earlier after Mayor Justin McKenzie cast the deciding vote on July 16 when aldermen tied 2-2.
At the 8 p.m. meeting Friday, Police Chief Michael Kelly and three police officers were the only ones present besides media. About 15 minutes into the executive session, City Attorney Lawrence Hahn called for Kelly to come in. When the session ended, Kelly and the other officers left the room before the vote.
Hattiesburg police and the Highway Patrol are investigating a Jan. 26, 2019, wreck involving a Forrest County sheriff’s deputy that killed two people. Strickland, who worked with the Forrest County Sheriff’s Office at the time, was not driving in the accident but is a party to the investigation. He was first placed on administrative leave before resigning in Forrest County.
Kelly said Friday night before going in the executive session that he was aware of the situation but believed Strickland was a witness to the accident. Kelly said he followed normal procedures in doing the background check and said from the investigation conducted that he believed Strickland was in good standing and eligible to be hired.
Kelly said he plans to begin giving new hire applications to aldermen on Thursdays rather than Mondays before Tuesday meetings.
Mayor Justin McKenzie said Monday he was unsure why if someone had a concern about Strickland or any matter why he or the board was not directly contacted. “It’s so easy to come express a concern or get more informed information from the source than from social media speculation,” he said.
