Spavinaw Holds Meeting Over Future Of Police Force

Officers are back on the streets in one Green Country town after the arrest of its police chief shut down the force for a week.

Thursday, July 31st 2014, 7:17 pm

By: Tess Maune

Spavinaw Holds Meeting Over Future Of Police Force

Officers are back on the streets in one Green Country town after the arrest of its police chief shut down the force for a week.

Spavinaw's Clarence Gregory is accused of molesting two young girls. He's been out of jail for a week, but he and the two other officers in town had to stand down.

The two other officers are volunteers, so with the chief out they had no one to answer to, and had to leave their patrol cars parked until city leaders sorted out the legal issues.

Those issues were talked about Thursday night during a special meeting in Spavinaw's small city hall where there was no room to sit as residents sent a message to the mayor about how much the police force means.

“In our town, it is very important,” said Spavinaw Mayor, Jim Winn.

It took less than ten minutes for city leaders to vote to suspend Police Chief Clarence Gregory with pay, reducing his monthly check from a little more than $1,500 to $300.

There were many faces at the meeting, but Gregory, who is known around town as Bear, was not one of them.

“Everybody thought Mr. Bear was an upstanding guy, but little do we know what goes on behind closed doors,” said Spavinaw resident, Michelle Melton.

The chief is accused of touching two girls inappropriately. Court documents say one of the girls was in third grade when the abuse started; the other girl was reportedly in fifth grade.

According to the files it had been going on for up to seven years.

Records show Gregory admitted he touched the girls because he was, “trying to instruct them on what not to let boys do to them."

The mayor said he's still friends with the chief, despite the allegations.

“We can forgive him, people can forgive him, God can forgive him, but the law, if he's found guilty, there won't be forgiveness there,” Winn said.

Gregory was Spavinaw's only paid police officer. Since the chief's arrest last week, the town has been without a police force, but the department won't have to shut down.

Reserve officer, Bill Kurtsinger was voted Thursday night as interim police chief.

“He has patrolled the streets day and night, took more people to jail than lives here and he's good for the town,” said Spavinaw resident, Paul Collins.

Kurtsinger has decades of experience, he's even headed up several smaller departments in Kansas.

He's been volunteering his time up until now, but has agreed to take on the position temporarily for just $300 a month. His duties as interim chief started Thursday night.

Gregory was released from jail Friday on the condition he has absolutely no contact with the girls or their families. He'll be on paid suspension until the legal system runs its course.

Mayes County Deputies were on standby last week, so there was still a law enforcement presence in town.