A married North Carolina police chief was fired after he repeatedly asked his captain’s wife for nude photos on social media, as his subordinate was named his replacement as the city’s top cop earlier this month.
Jon Clark, who has served as Mars Hill police chief since 2021, allegedly solicited a relationship with Capt. Chad Wilson’s wife last year, requesting topless photos via Snapchat.
“Your conduct in attempting to establish a romantic relationship with the wife of one of your officers is reprehensible,” City Manager Nathan Bennett wrote in a letter dated Oct. 16, 2023, and obtained by WLOS.
“Actively soliciting such a relationship is inexcusable and puts the entire Department and the city of Mars Hill at risk,” Bennett added in Clark’s dismissal note.
The woman did not respond to Clark’s request and shared screenshots of the unpleasant questions with her husband, who in turn shared them with Bennett.
After reviewing the messages, Bennett hired an independent investigator to investigate the allegations, and the note indicated that Clark had lied to both of them when they confronted him about his actions.
“[Your] “He blatantly tells me lies and the investigator employed by the city leaves me no choice but to fire him.”
Jon Clark was fired as police chief of the city of Mars Hill in October 2023 after sending multiple requests for topless photos to his captain’s wife. Mars Hill PD/X
The law enforcement officer allegedly admitted to Bennett to sending the messages to the woman, according to the News-Record & Sentinel.
Clark had worked at the Mars Hill Police Department since 2016 and shares three daughters with his high school sweetheart, the outlet added.
Clark was also accused of insubordination for leaving a meeting with Bennett and immediately contacting the police department and “victims of his conduct,” which was also considered brazen by the city manager.
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In addition to the lewd requests, Bennett said the now-former police chief displayed unsafe use of weapons provided to him by the department and improper use of the vehicle provided to him by the city.
“Handling firearms in your office where you did not have them in a closed and secure location is completely contrary to all concepts of gun safety, particularly for a police officer,” the letter said.
“Obviously, after making this decision at this point in our relationship, I have no choice but to notify the Criminal Justice Standards Commission,” Bennett added.
Earlier this month, Chad Wilson was named Clark’s replacement effective January 1.
“I’m excited to take the helm of this department and move it forward,” Wilson told the News-Record & Sentinel, but declined to discuss Clark’s firing because it was a personnel matter.
“He’s a hard worker,” Bennett said. “He loves that job and he does it very well. He just made sense. So, we’re excited to get up and running and get back to normal.”
After being fired from the Mars Hill Police Department, Clark landed a position with the Maddison County Sheriff’s Department as a school resource officer, but he no longer works there as of January 8. Mars Hill PD/X
After his dismissal, Clark was hired by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department as a school resource officer at Madison Early College High School.
He did not show up for his shift on January 8 and “would not return to work,” school superintendent Dr. Will Hoffman confirmed to ABC 13.
Mars Hill is located within Madison County and 20 miles north of Asheville in the Appalachian Mountains in the northwest corner of the state.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn