Township Signs Off On Pension For Former Police Chief In Sign Flap

WATERFORD TOWNSHIP (WWJ/AP) - Waterford Township is looking for a new police chief.

As WWJ's Marie Osborne reports, the former chief has retired amid controversy.

The pension board in an Oakland County township has signed off on retirement pay for a former police chief who was suspended last year in a dispute over the removal of a campaign sign that opposed a public safety tax.

Waterford Township's pension panel took less than a minute Tuesday to approve McCaw's pension, a week after the township board removed him under a law that allows local governments to retire an officer who is 60.

The township board of trustees voted to immediately retire the 60-year-old chief on March 9. McCall had been investigated for removing campaign signs in 2014 but he was cleared of any wrong doing after a five month investigation.

Township Supervisor Gary Wall says it's time to put the matter behind them: "We have to devote our attention to an entire community, 72,000 plus residents, over 1,400 businesses, over 350 township employees and you can't concentrate all your efforts on one department or one department head - you have to look at the whole picture," said Wall.

Wall said the township did their due diligence ... adding that they "didn't want to make a snap judgement. We did what we felt was in the best interest of the township "

Wall says Deputy Police Chief Jeff James will serve as the interim police chief until a new one is named.

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