TABOR, Iowa (KMTV) — The Tabor City Council approved a motion Wednesday to hire an independent, third-party investigator to review the city's one-person police department.
The council approved an engagement letter with the law firm Lynch Dallas to conduct the investigation. The decision came during the second consecutive council meeting moved to the community center to accommodate a larger-than-usual crowd.
Andy Hansen, a Tabor resident who works for a separate law enforcement agency, has spent weeks raising concerns about Police Chief Derek Aistrope's conduct. Hansen first brought his concerns to the council last month.
"My purpose for speaking tonight is to encourage everyone to look into facts for themselves and not simply accept statements as face value," Hansen said.
Since Hansen first spoke out, others have also raised concerns before the council.
The mayor said the decision to bring in outside counsel followed a review with the city's existing legal team.
"Just reviewing with our legal counsel, obviously her purview only goes so far so she referred us to another group that will be handling that for us, can't really go into specific on it at this time," the mayor said.
I reached out to Chief Aistrope before and after Wednesday's meeting, and multiple times last month, but have not yet received a response. I also asked the mayor what conversations have taken place between the chief and city leaders — he declined to share that information.
Hansen said he is satisfied with the council's decision and will accept whatever the investigation finds.
"I just think people just generally around the country want information and they want accurate information," Hansen said.
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