Hardin Chief Breaks His Silence

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By Lindsey Scheetz

Story Published: Sep 3, 2010 at 9:50 PM MST

Story Updated: Sep 4, 2010 at 1:22 PM MST

BILLINGS - Just days after undergoing surgery and getting fired from his job Hardin's former police chief opens up about why he thinks the mayor let him and another deputy go. Mayor Kim Hammond announced Thursday that Jeffrey Arntz would no longer head up the city's new police department.

"I didn't say anything, I mean, I was just in shock," former Hardin Police Chief Jeff Arntz said he never saw it coming, but almost as soon as it was built, like a deck of cards the Hardin Police Department came crashing down.

"We were terminated at 5:30 on Tuesday and that's all they told us nothing else, and of course Francesca asked but they said we don't have to tell you because your probationary employees so we don't need a reason, we're not giving you one," Arntz explained. He and Officer Francesca Brashear were suddenly un-employed and said they didn't know why.

Speculation has since been raised that the chief overspent the budget purchasing unnecessary equipment, but Arntz said the city was aware of everything they purchased, "we bought what we needed; everything we bought was approved through the mayor, and a lot of it through the city council."

With a budget of $500,000, Arntz said the mayor and the rest of the council expected him to build the station from the ground up. "They weren't 100% dedicated to it and still aren't. I don't think they were ready for it. They weren't financially ready for it, and they're not gong to be financially ready for it."

But the mayor said Hardin will continue to work towards building a new department, "We still have six months. We're just going to move forward, hire a new chief and we'll just move on. The city is used to moving on."

Arntz said the hardest part is just not knowing why, "When somebody gets fired it’s never supposed to be surprise."

Hammond defends her decision, but still gives no explanation as to why Chief Arntz and Officer Francesca Brashear were terminated. It's a question Arntz said no one may ever know the answer to. "You know its always said that when one door shuts another door opens and that's all I'm looking forward to is finding that other door, I mean I’ll do something, I can't afford to not do something, I’ll go back to work somewhere."

The Hardin Police Department consisted of 3 full-time officers, officer Brandon Brashear, Francesca's husband is still employed with them. Arntz said he believes they kept Brandon on staff to help with the re-structure.

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AnnaK said on Thursday, Dec 30 at 9:35 AM

Officer Brashear is a nightmare waiting to happen. Be glad you are rid of her!

buckaroo said on Monday, Sep 6 at 12:36 PM

i said they should have hired the spanish guy he told it like it was in the meeting and they didnt want a straight shooter. he looked like he was a get down and dirty guy. i talked to him at the city meeting and he was asd honest as they come and he likes to work the streets and doesnt like just sitting around he was telling me of all his ideas he was going to buy used patrol cars and hire staff from the area not from another state. he wanted to surround himself with montana law enforcement officers because he knew he would have to learn the area. he also was very frugal about what he wanted to do his thing was to get the city covered and use the majority of the budget to hire enough staff to have to officers per shift. i told the mayor how i liked him and she brushed me off because she was taken by this arntz fellow. well she has egg on her face they need to try to call that spanish guy back and see if he will come. maybe ha can give this stuff back and recover we only have six months

TOWNCRYING said on Sunday, Sep 5 at 9:05 PM

COME ON CITY GET A GRIP WHY ARE WE THE LAUGHING STOCK OF MONTANA WE CANNOT EVEN GET THE DETENTION CENTER OPEN WITH THAT EMBRASSING MOMENT AND NOW THIS REALLY WHAT IS GOING ON WE VOTED FOR SOME OF YOU WE TRUSTED YOU AND WE ARE BEING LET DOWN WHY CAN YOU ALL GET IT TOGETHER ENOUGH IS ENOUGH WE NEED TO GET SOME POSITIVE HERE WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO SUPPORT YOUR DESICIONS IF YOU MAKE THE WRONG ONES SERIOUSLY GET IT TOGETHER AND GET THE BALL ROLLING WE NEED THIS EMBARRASING MOMENTS TO GO AWAY WE NEED THE DETENTION CENTER TO OPEN AND RENEW THE FAITH OF THIS TOWN AGAIN WE NEED TO BE PROUD AND UNITED NOT DIVIDED THERE HAD TO BE LEADS OUT THERE GET GOING ON IT AND FOR THE HIRING PROCESS DO A FURTHER BACKGROUND CK HECK EVEN THE TOWN THE X POLICE CHIEF CAME FROM WAS GLAD TO GET RID OF HIM HE HAS A SPENDING PROBLEM AND A PROBLEM NOT DOING HIS JOB THEY DON'T EVEN WANT HIM OR HIS HELP I SAY GET RID OF ALL THEM AND START LOOKING INTO THE OTHER CHOICES LOK BEYOND THE GOLDEN TONGUE AND SILVER LINING!!

concerned said on Sunday, Sep 5 at 8:54 PM

OMG what feel sorry the they got fired we I say GOOD, oh lets see were they doing there job NO THEY WE NOT ley see if you hang out in the office and let the answering machine get the calls then how can you all 3 go home at 5. I say kudo's to the mayor and the city for getting rid the the waste of employee's. Here for the people, another joke how many times did you all walk past the people of Hardin and put your nose in the air at us. Your job was to get the office open and running what a joke the drug dog really was that a needed expense right now the 4-wheelers needed right now, I think not. How about Little Big Horn Day's cannot patrol until you had uniforms HELLO YOU ALL HAD EXCUSES A MILE LONG. I can say hats of to the BIG HORN COUNTY SHERIFF you are there when this town needs you!!!!!!!!!! This is not a race issue its the fact that Hardin got conned again. City of Hardin PLEASE PLEASE wake up we are starting to be a laughing stock we make the news more than any other town WAKE UP!

Sarina said on Saturday, Sep 4 at 3:02 PM

@ whatever: "crows are crooked..." so are whites, browns, and everybody in between. no one is perfect. if the world crashed down, i bet you would be the first to run to the native americans to beg for food and land survival training. as for this chief, doesn't anyone research his history? hardin is becoming known for it's stupidity - just look how the council and peterson sang the praises of the APF leader.... yes, hardin is a child in need of a real parent.

beerman said on Saturday, Sep 4 at 12:41 PM

I heard the mayor just wanted a puppet and they wouldn't be that. Lot of rumors going on down here. Think it makes the mayor look shady when she can't even give them an answer.

whatever said on Saturday, Sep 4 at 10:51 AM

crows are crooked. thats it.

BUCKAROO said on Friday, Sep 3 at 11:41 PM

WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO NOW GO THROUGH ALL THAT PROCESS AGAIN AND HIRE ANOTHER CHIEF. WHY DONT THEY GO BACK TO THE OTHER APPLICANTS WHEN HE WAS HIRED

Bandit said on Friday, Sep 3 at 11:20 PM

There is something more to this story. I'm not buyin' it...

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