In March, the Hayden Town Council accepted the resignation of Chief Louie Tartaglia. Tartaglia had been with the department a little less than a year.
In a special meeting called by the council following his initial resignation, Vice Mayor Maria Munoz said, “He is resigning on his own and was not fired or chased off by the council.”
The council meeting minutes reflected confirmation from Mayor Bobby Smith that the council did not ask Chief Tartaglia to resign.Tartaglia left Hayden to pursue other law enforcement opportunities.
With the absence of a chief of police, the Hayden council voted to have Gila County Sheriff’s Office provide an interim chief until a new chief can be hired. GCSO Lieutenant Keith Thompson is now serving as the interim chief.
Mayor Smith explained during the April council meeting that they would be interviewing chief candidates in the coming weeks.