Mayor David Wilson told Summerdale residents at Monday’s council meeting that Dwaine Riebeling is still the town’s police chief, but that could change on Thursday.

“At this point, Chief Riebeling is still the police chief,” Wilson said.

There will be a hearing Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at the town’s Municipal Complex regarding Wilson’s request for the termination of Riebeling’s employment with the town. The hearing will be a closed-door meeting. Afterwards, the council will hold a public meeting to vote on whether to reinstate Riebeling as police chief or to terminate his employment with the town, Wilson said.

“Police officers are entitled to a due process,” Wilson said. “At the hearing, he’ll be given the opportunity to address the charges. He can have an attorney with him.”

The town of Summerdale released a letter Friday that was delivered to Riebeling regarding why Wilson is recommending to the town council Riebeling’s termination.

The letter lists 14 reasons why Riebeling is being considered for termination.     The letter accuses Riebeling of:

• Being incompetent and inefficient.

• Failing to supervise the officers in the department.

• “Inattention to duty, orders or instructions.”

• “Conduct unbecoming an employee in the public service.”

• Not going through the correct town procedures in the forced resignation of a former officer, thus creating a liability for the town.

• Insubordination.

• Failing to buy a license for a grass-cutting business that Riebeling operated within town limits.

• Neglect of duty regarding a Nov. 9 complaint by a town resident.

• Failing to follow orders.

• Failing to coordinate duties of officers.

• Failing to maintain records.

• Failing to discipline an officer who endangered the life of a resident who was the victim of a crime.

• Failing to conduct a proper investigation regarding a June shooting incident that resulted in a disabling injury and deciding that the incident was an attempted suicide without proper evidence, “causing a loss of insurance coverage” for the victim.

• Encouraging police officers to go door-to-door in the town “for the purpose of generating opposition to actions contemplated by the town council and/or mayor relating to the structure and organization of the police department.”

Riebeling directed all comments to his attorney, Don Bolton. Bolton could not be reached for comment.

Lynn Moreno, who works in the town but lives outside the town limits, voiced her opinion on the situation at the meeting. She said she doesn’t think think the town handled the situation properly.

“I do believe this came out improperly,” she said. “Everything was fine after the last meeting. The next thing we know (Riebeling) is getting written up. The feeling that it could fall that quick is not an easy feeling. I don’t know (Riebeling), and wouldn’t know him if he walked through the door, but I have the utmost respect for him.”

Moreno said she disagrees with the decision to request Riebeling’s termination because “if you look at the list of complaints, one is a year old.”

Another resident, who wished to remain nameless, said a change is needed at police chief.

“(Riebeling) cannot handle the job. He doesn’t have enough education or know-how for it,” the resident said. “He’s a nice person, don’t get me wrong; but we need someone who can lead us.”

In February, Wilson approached the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office about issues with the effectiveness and size of the police department. There was mention of disbanding the town police department and leaving the area to the supervision of sheriff’s office deputies.

Baldwin County Sheriff Huey “Hoss” Mack was in attendance at Monday’s meeting and spoke to the council and residents to clarify that the county’s role in the town’s policing is as a “supplement” to the town police and that “a lot of the operation remains exactly the same.”

“During this time, while some personnel issues are being worked out, the sheriff’s office has coordinated and worked with officers here in the town of Summerdale to make sure that law enforcement services are provided and maintained here in the town,” he said. “The Summerdale police officers have stepped it up and are doing a tremendous job. Essentially what we did is we stepped in and looked if there were any times in which officers were not able to cover patrol duties or answer calls. We have found a few shifts that remained open, and we are in the process of assigning them to deputies in the town to make sure the roads are covered.”

Mack also said the situation is only temporary.

“The town of Summerdale should move to keep its’ police department and its’ chief. I think it’s in the best interest in the citizens of Summerdale,” he said.