Ringgold Council Members Decide Not To Decide

Tuesday's emergency council meeting in Ringgold about the police took police to make everyone calm down.

Residents made their opposition quite clear by shouting at council members when they voted to appoint Roy Edwards as interim chief until a special election.  Three members voted in favor of Edwards while two opposed.

"We are the majority of this town and we don't want that," said Jacquelyn Hullaby.

Edwards, who ran unsuccessfully for chief in the last election, was not at the meeting.  He was out of the country working offshore.  

The next item on the agenda was to select a "temporary officer in charge (unpaid)," but council members went into executive session before selecting one.

When they came back, they voted to rescind Edwards' appointment and let the Governor appoint an interim chief until the special election.

"Some of the council members made a strong case that we should turn it over to the Governor's office to give a neutral approach to the process," said Mayor Stephone Taylor.

Instead of an interim chief, council members unanimously approved the appointment of Waveunta Jiles as interim officer in charge.  Jiles has been with the Ringgold Police Department for seven years.

"I feel like we're going to continue the legacy our boss has started and we're going to continue to carry it on," said Jiles.

There's no word when the Governor will appoint an interim chief.