PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Speakers at Tuesday's Portsmouth city council meeting laid into city council, the mayor, and city manager Lydia Pettis-Patton over former police chief Tonya Chapman's resignation.
"I do not know about anyone else but I do not believe that in a little over a three year time period that much has changed about the qualifications that got Chief Tonya Chapman the job in 2016," said Marquise Hunter, who spoke in front of council.
"Whoever's hands are in that pot, if she was not let go for reasons that are founded, your turn is coming up," said another man.
Even after all of that, Mayor John Rowe said he and city council can't comment on Chapman's resignation because of a city charter that bars them from doing so.
"The state law prohibits city council members from getting involved with any employee except for the city manager, the city clerk, the city attorney and the city assessor," said Mayor Rowe.
He said he still thinks Patton is doing a great job as city manager, despite the criticism, but Senator Louise Lucas, who supported Chapman, didn't hold back. She passionately criticized the mayor, council and Patton.
"Dr. Patton ain't nothing but a puppet," she said. "She allowed herself to be used because she didn't have the backbone to do something like that on her own. She was pushed. I believe the Mayor was involved in it. I believe other members of the city council were involved in it, and I damn sure believe the police department was involved in it."
Senator Lucas said she wants a full-scale investigation into why Chapman resigned, and while it's being completed, she wants Chapman to be fully compensated.
Councilman Shannon Glover spoke before public comment. He said he believes the whole situation was handled improperly.