Willie Smith confirmed to NewsChannel 15 Wednesday, he is no longer chief of the Marion Police Department, which he ran for the past 19 years.
Smith says at this point, he can't tell us why he doesn't work there. He did say it has nothing to do with any health-related issues.
NewsChannel 15 started getting phone calls this week from residents in Marion asking if Smith was fired or had resigned. When we asked Marion Mayor Rodney Berry, he told us he couldn't comment on Smith's status.
Smith plans to hold a news conference next Wednesday to release more information.
Smith was with the Marion Police Department for 34 years. He served as a patrol officer for 15 years before he left to work with state police for five years.
Smith was hired as Marion police chief in 1991 and served in that position until Monday of this week.
