The Village of Ferrelview again has a chief of police, though only for the short term.
Kevin LaBranche has been hired as interim chief of police, although his primary duty is as a part-time employee inventorying the village’s police office, its equipment and evidence that may be in storage there. According to the draft minutes of the Tuesday, Feb. 13 board of trustees meeting, LaBranche will do a formal inventory and have an itemized list available by the March meeting. Evidence in storage has been sent to the Platte County Sheriff’s Office and LaBranche is also working to recover village property that may still be in the possession of its former officers.
Citizens in need of police assistance must still contact the Platte County Sheriff’s Office for help.
Former Ferrelview chief of police Daniel Clayton was suspended last November after a tenure marked by mounting citizen complaints, lawsuits, investigations and a state audit, which is still ongoing.
An investigation The Citizen conducted in 2016 showed municipal traffic fines and court fees on the rise in Ferrelview with Clayton on the force.
Potential over collection of those fines and failure to repay the state have put the village of about 450 residents into financially dire straits. The Missouri State Auditor’s Office recently released audit results for the municipal court, stating the village owes at least $20,000 to the state.
At the February meeting, village treasurer Mickey Vulgamott said according to updated calculations the village owes $20,333 to the state for over collections in 2016, and the village has been able to set aside enough money to cover 2017. The draft minutes state that Vulgamott is working with the Missouri Department of Revenue to make a payment plan.