An unexpected and confusing exchange about police department personnel occurred Monday night at the Wayland City Council meeting.
Sgt. John Paul Damveld of the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department handed in his resignation as a part-time officer with the Wayland Police Department and expressed his displeasure with not having a clear understanding about his status with the local force.
Damveld has served in the past as a deputy covering Dorr and Leighton townships. He appeared at a council meeting earlier this year to praise the local Chamber of Commerce campaign to “Stand Behind the Thin Blue Line.”
However, Damveld made negative comments about new Chief Mark Garnsey’s leadership and said he called to ask about his status on the department without receiving a reply.
Garnsey said Damveld has not been on the City Police Department roster for quite some time, so he was taken aback by his appearance and comments.
City Manager Josh Eggleston also said he didn’t know Damveld.
Gary Smith, a former deputy, expressed his opinion that the city should have officer applicants interviewed by the chief and someone other than the city manager, “who’s never had a gun stuck in his face.”
Eggleston replied that during his career as an administrator he has hired a number of police officers and has experience in dealing with applicants for all public sector positions.
He added that he didn’t appreciate Smith’s suggestion he isn’t properly qualified to hire police officers and Smith apologized.
This news came at the same time Garnsey told the council of the resignation of officer Eric Speese of Byron Center, who was one of the four finalists for the job Garnsey was selected for last winter.
