On the morning of May 6, 2010, Chief Mike Heffner was contacted by Mr. Mitsch and the investigator. When he wass asked to come in to be interviewed, he stated he was unavailable.
For the next 6 hours, Chief Heffner stalled and outright refused to be interviewed.
During this period, the investigator conducted several other interviews with city employees.
Records indicate that later that afternoon, Hawthorne Police Captain Keith Kauffman met with Mr. Mitsch and the investigator. Captain Kauffman wanted to inform the city that Chief Heffner wanted to resign. Captain Kauffman asked how could the city move forward with this process without interviewing Chief Heffner.
After several hours of “negotiating” with Captain Kauffman, an agreement was reached by Mr. Mitsch and Chief Heffner. The results were that Chief Heffner would resign immediately and an interim chief would be appointed. Chief Heffner asked Mr. Mitsch and the investigator to “let me go easy”.
Chief Heffner quickly signed his resignation and then made comments questioning the investigator’s practices of conducting surveillance in his city. None of which ever occurred. Chief Heffner even went as far as to naming people who were allegedly conducting the investigations.
A short time later Chief Heffner left and the fireworks began.
It was not long after, that Captain Kauffman began “insisting” that Mr. Mitsch appoint him as the Interim Chief. After having just negotiating the resignation of Chief Heffner, Captain Kauffman felt it was his birthright to become the new Interim Chief.
If Mr. Mitsch did only one good thing during his tenure it would be the decision he made NOT to appoint Captain Kauffman as Interim Police Chief.
A few hours later, attorneys were contacted and for the next several days, Captain Kauffman made numerous unsuccessful legal attempts to become appointed Interim Chief of Police for the Hawthorne Police Department.
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