Tuskegee police chief, assistant chief out; mayor points to ‘new direction’

The mayor of Tuskegee on Tuesday said the city’s police chief and assistant chief have been relieved of their duties.

Mayor Lawrence F. Haygood Jr. said Chief Jennifer Jordan and Assistant Chief Michael Provo are no longer with the department.

“On Tuesday afternoon the City of Tuskegee determined that it is in the best interest of public safety for our citizens to go in a new direction with the leadership of the Tuskegee Police Department,’’ Haygood said in a press release.

He did not elaborate.

Patrick Mardis, who recently retired as Tuskegee University’s director of public safety and formerly served as police chief in Fairfield, will serve as interim chief.

Haygood said the city will be begin an immediate search for a permanent chief.