Eudora Police Chief Grady Walker resigned Thursday, said John Harrenstein, Eudora city administrator.
Walker’s resignation is effective Sept. 7, though Harrenstein said Walker has been out of the office on medical leave. Eudora Police Sgt. Chris Casagrande has been named acting police chief until an interim chief is named, Harrenstein said.
“We look to begin the search process very soon,” Harrenstein said.
Because it was a personnel matter, Harrenstein said he could not comment further on Walker’s resignation. Attempts to reach Walker on Thursday were unsuccessful.
Walker was named police chief in April 2010, after 32 years in law enforcement. Walker worked for the Douglas County Sheriff’s office and jail right out of high school, and after 10 years joined Douglas County Youth Services, where he served as assistant director for 12 years.
In 2007, Walker returned to the streets, working full time for the Eudora Police Department.
Comments
princess81 1 year, 7 months ago
Well said koman. You aren't the only one with that opinion!
koman 1 year, 7 months ago
Speaking from a business owner's perspective in Eudora, Susie's tenure as Chamber of Commerce President was a failure at best. The only economic development progress made during her time as President were a result of staff hired by the City Administrator and the Chamber of Commerce executive board, which Susie totally alienated to pursue her own personal noteriety. I can only imagine her opinion and her false comments are the result of her ex-husband being terminated from employment. It's sad to see such spiteful people associated with our community and I for one am glad she is gone. Anyone that knows her understands her leadership qualities are sporadic at best. As an individual who knows the members of the Eudora Police Department, I am confident each of their abilities to handle this transition process. Calling into question the character of those who have been assigned to lead during a transition is simply a pot-shot from someone who doesn't know what she is talking about.
I believe our city has fine leadership from a city council perspective and the professional staff they have hired. The indication that their actions are "insane" comes from someone who doesn't have a clue about the issues.
susiepryor 1 year, 7 months ago
kimk, thank you for filling in a missing piece to this puzzle for me! I had also suggested to the City Administrator that something didn't smell right concerning a fireman's role in an altogether different police personnel matter. After I resigned, our Chamber membership started getting these emails from the City in the guise of Chamber communications sort of lauding the police chief and the fire chief and that seemed so ODD . . . . Why, all of a sudden, was the Chamber email a promotions piece for these two individuals? I GET that the City favors the new law enforcement center, but the inclusion of the two Chiefs' contact information on a couple of emails made me uneasy. It seemed a bit too cozy. I had warned the Chamber Executive Board against allowing the Chamber to get too embedded in the City, and I was vigorously rebuffed. It all begins to hang together . . . .
kimk 1 year, 7 months ago
Why don't you ask the Fire Chief why Grady is resigning? Just because you're the fire chief does not make you an auxillary police officer. Grady should not abuse his power to do a favor for a friend.
princess81 1 year, 7 months ago
Delusional.....................
susiepryor 1 year, 7 months ago
I don't know anything about what that little boy's family did or did not do. I can't imagine their grief. That does not, however, diminish what Mayor Hopson did. He formally requested those barriers. He actually tried to drum up support from the City of DeSoto and they declined to get involved. Mayor Hopson persisted. For this reason, he has my admiration. People are often too busy, too reluctant, or too scared to raise their voice. Hopson did so. You and I and others are safer because of it.
Amy Heeter 1 year, 7 months ago
One word, corruption. I could detail some facts, but the post would be deleted. Rest assured some crooked officers are gone.
MarcoPogo 1 year, 7 months ago
Eudora Internet Cat Fight!
princess81 1 year, 7 months ago
Oh please....the Mayor is responsible for that? Let's talk about who really is responsible for that, the family of that little boy. He is not the reason, not by a long shot.
susiepryor 1 year, 7 months ago
I recently stepped down as Eudora Chamber President over concerns about personnel management within the Eudora Police Department. I suggested to the City Administrator at that time that Walker didn't have the skill set for some parts of the job. I know from talking to others in the Eudora community that Harrenstein has had his own reservations. Walker does have some very strong skills, however. Those certainly could have been utilized.
I am a professor. In schools, we issue A's through F's. We provide support and training. We don't expect perfection and we work with what we've got. In Eudora, not only is there no system of support and training, it's an all A or F system. There is nothing in between. You are either in -- or you are out. It is as tragic in the case of Walker as it was for the many other police officers before him who have been terminated or felt forced to resign. Sadly, it appears the City learned nothing through this exercise. They have now put a guy in charge for the interim who is cut from the same, exact cloth as Walker. He has no sense of loyalty to his staff and no notion of the responsibilities of police work. He is just as willing to throw others under the bus on his way up. What is Einstein's definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?
Eudora is a great little town with some great folks. Some of those are on the City Council. I don't count them out, altogether yet. Princess81 denigrated the Mayor. I disagree. That guy has some real heart -- and he's the reason those safety barricades are being erected on K-10, as I write.
ljreader 1 year, 7 months ago
He's been out of the office on medical leave, according to the article. Maybe he has a serious health problem. Carry on with the wild speculation.
CWGOKU 1 year, 7 months ago
Maybe he pistol whipped someone
Ricky_Vaughn 1 year, 7 months ago
Isn't Grady the Police Chief in Super Troopers?
by Ricky_Vaughn
rumor_man 1 year, 7 months ago
Why does Eudora even need a police chief? It's not like it's Topeka or anything.
smitty 1 year, 7 months ago
Casegrade is an ex-LPD. How does he measure up as interim chief? Political?
the_overnighter 1 year, 7 months ago
Top bad it did not work out as Chief Walker worked hard to make things better. Good luck sir!!
princess81 1 year, 7 months ago
Just a shame it wasn't the Mayor instead. Eudora would do better without one, especially the one we are stuck with now.
thebigspoon 1 year, 7 months ago
Looks like small town politics got another one ? If you're not from that small town like the Mayor is I guess it is hard to survive ???
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