TABOR, Iowa (KMTV) — Tabor's former police chief addressed the city council Wednesday night for the first time since his contract was terminated, calling the process unfair and saying he never had a chance to defend himself.
Derek Aistrope spoke during a more than two-hour council meeting after the city brought in a third-party law firm to investigate the Tabor Police Department this summer.
"Tonight is not a pre-disciplinary hearing it is a post disciplinary moment after the vote after the headlines and after the consequences were already imposed," Aistrope said.
Aistrope responded to allegations of bad policing from neighbors, including resident Andy Hansen, who has previously called for accountability from the department. The allegations included concerns about how an arson case and a 911 call about a stolen firearm were handled.
"The documented timeline shows that I acted promptly provided all available evidence and completed the charging action within the legally required time frame," Aistrope said.
Aistrope said the council's decision to terminate him came without a formal hearing beforehand.
"I had no chance to defend myself," Aistrope said.
Messages sent to Aistrope and his attorney asking about next steps have not been returned at this time. The city said it is taking the information from the meeting into consideration.
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