All three civilians on the Rogers police commission have now resigned in protest of the city's February decision to put its police chief and a sergeant on paid administrative leave.
The fast-growing city of 7,500 in northwestern Hennepin County has a police force of 14, and three are on paid leave.
The commission resignations have added upheaval and some embarrassment in the city, dating to a string of events that began last summer.
"It reeks of politics," Lorin Kramer, one of the former commissioners, said of the actions taken with the chief and sergeant. "I urge the Rogers City Council to do the right thing and stop this train wreck in the making."
City Hall has remained mum on why Chief Jeff Luther and Sgt. Joleen Pitts were put on leave Feb. 10; officials cite privacy concerns and personnel policies.
However, Kramer and others contend that the chief is being unjustly punished for investigating an officer's conduct at the scene of an accident last summer. That officer, Capt. Mike Miller, is godfather to the mayor's daughter and is now serving as acting police chief.
Rogers Mayor Jason Grimm said he did not foresee the resignations, and the City Council has not discussed what to do next.
"In the short term, there will be no decision on the police commission," Grimm said.
