Missing Inventory Discussed at Sharon Board Meeting

Story by Shannon Taylor

MVP Regional Senior Investigative Reporter

During citizens' comments portion of the Sharon City Board meeting held Monday night, former police chief Mark Kimsey asked Sharon Mayor Donna Stricklin if she had come across all the items in the gun safe that she had previously claimed had gone missing.

Stricklin said they were in the process of looking. “We weren’t even sure to begin with what we did have.” Kimsey reminded Stricklin that she had previously stated that the gun safe was empty. Stricklin said, “There was no ammo in the safe and we have not come across any ammo that I know of.” Stricklin said that they did find 4-5 empty boxes of ammo.

Kimsey asked if she had come across firearms, magazines to firearms, optics or scopes. Stricklin looked at Fire Chief Gary Eddings who said that there were a couple in there. Kimsey said, “So you still don’t know where the firearms are?”

Stricklin said that they didn’t know if they had all of them and that Kenny Rodriguez had turned in a pistol and that they had found two guns at this time. Kimsey asked where they were found. Stricklin said that she hadn’t been back there since the night that Kimsey left, however at a previous board meeting, Stricklin stated that she went back to the gun safe three days after Kimsey left and that was when she realized the safe was empty.

Kimsey asked if things were missing or if it was just a false accusation and Stricklin said, “No, we have stuff we have some questions about.” Kimsey asked what it was and Stricklin said that it had been turned over to someone else.

Stricklin said that they did find Kimsey’s inventory sheet and they had been using that to look for things. Kimsey said, “So, it’s been over a month and you still don’t know if you’re missing anything?”

As Kimsey was walking away, resident Monica La Rock said that when she spoke to the capital that they told her that he was accused and that he had a case for defamation of character and slander against the city if he wanted to pursue that.

Bill Bostwick, Parks and Recreation Director, spoke in opposition regarding the termination of Kimsey and others who had spoke up in defense of him saying, “When a police chief allows his officers to go 120 miles-per-hour-plus chasing a motorcycle that has nothing to do basically with Sharon, he deserves to be fired or discipline the officer, but he didn’t either way.”

Bostwick said he was tired of hearing about Stricklin.

“The board's the one that made the decision to fire him, not Donna. Donna's lived here all her life and I’ve lived here since ’83. You people come up and want to complain, that’s fine, but stop and realize that 120 miles per hour, if he had hit your kids and we get sued and somebody dies. It isn’t worth that. What’s he thinking? Come on, use common sense,” Bostwick said.

Kimsey said, “The officer didn’t do anything wrong. He didn’t violate any law or any ordinances of any kind that the city has.”

District Attorney General Colin Johnson could not be reached for comment to see if their office is looking into the missing equipment that Stricklin stated was “turned over to someone else.”