Pine Bluff, Arkansas – The City of Pine Bluff is facing significant leadership changes after Fire Chief Shauwn Howell resigned earlier this week, leaving the city without both a fire chief and a police chief.
On Tuesday afternoon, Pine Bluff Mayor Vivian Flowers confirmed that Howell had stepped down from his position. Earlier that day, Ward Three Council Member Lanette Frazier had stated that Howell had been dismissed, though the mayor clarified that his resignation was voluntary. The sudden departure adds to a series of leadership changes within the city.
This comes just one day after Mayor Flowers announced the firing of Pine Bluff Police Chief Denise Richardson. Richardson’s termination on Monday came with a letter from the mayor stating, “This decision is made without cause and is not a reflection of your job performance but rather my decision to go in a different direction with the Pine Bluff Police Department.” Despite the abrupt nature of these leadership shifts, Flowers assured the public that the decision was not based on job performance but rather a desire for new direction within both departments.
With the departure of both department heads, the city is now searching for new leaders. On Tuesday morning, Deputy Chief Shirley Warrior was sworn in as the interim police chief, temporarily taking over the role of police chief while the city conducts its search for a permanent replacement.
As of now, no further details have been released regarding the reasons behind the resignation of Fire Chief Howell or the circumstances surrounding the firing of Police Chief Richardson. The leadership changes have left many within the city and its departments in a state of uncertainty, with residents and city officials awaiting more information about the future direction of Pine Bluff’s emergency services.
In the meantime, the search for new leadership in both the fire and police departments is already underway. The city is expected to announce further details about the process as it moves forward.
