La Cygne Police Chief Tina Fenoughty, right, walks Angel, the department's emotional support dog during the city's Easter egg hunt last spring. Fenoughty resigned her post on Feb. 28. (Jenn Vogt/Barefoot Lifestyle Photography)
By Roger Sims, rsims@linncountyjournal.com
LA CYGNE – Part-time La Cygne police officer, Linn County Sheriff’s Office deputy, and Parker Police Chief Craig Haley will be taking over the duties of the La Cygne Police Chief on an interim basis following a special meeting on Thursday, Feb. 29, of the La Cygne City Council.
Following a total of 30 minutes in closed-door sessions, the council emerged into open session and Mayor Debra Wilson announced the resignation of Police Chief Tina Fenoughty.
Wilson read Fenoughty’s resignation letter to the council members. Her resignation was effective Wednesday, Feb. 28
“I enjoyed the opportunity to serve the citizens of La Cygne and many of you will be greatly missed,” Fenoughty’s letter said. “Again, I thank everyone for their time and the experience I was afforded. I wish everyone well.”
Fenoughty’s letter did not specify a reason for her resignation.
Fenoughty was sworn into her post in April 2020, and during her tenure built a department that was stable and respected. The police chief took a medical leave in August last year and returned to her duties in mid-November. The reason for the medical leave was not publicly disclosed.
Following the council’s acceptance of Fenoughty’s resignation and the mayor’s commendation for her service to the city, the council again went into executive session, this time with La Cygne Officer Jo Le Stourgeon. Le Stourgeon served as interim police chief during Fenoughty’s medical leave.
The council emerged from that closed session and followed with a return to executive session with Haley. After 10 minutes in closed-door discussions with Haley, the council spent another 10 minutes in closed session without Haley before returning to open session to unanimously approve Wilson’s recommendation to appoint Haley as interim chief.
The mayor thanked Haley for helping with the paperwork necessary for the transition to his new temporary post before adjourning the meeting.
On Friday, Haley declined to comment on his new position, whether he would seek the chief’s post permanently, or resign his current positions. Haley has worked for the La Cygne Police Department on a part-time basis for about three years.
As police chief for Parker, Haley has built a reputation for modernizing the small-town police department with equipment such as network-connected on-board computers in cruisers and body cameras. He has also worked, using both negotiation and citations, to enforce that city's codes.
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