Prineville Police Chief Eric Bush was fired yesterday (Wednesday) after a long and closely guarded investigation.
The city released a two sentence press release. The first announced the termination. The second appointed Captain Michael Boyd to the position of interim chief as the City looks for a permanent replacement.
In an email, Captain Boyd referred a request for comment to City Attorney Carl Dutli’s office, who refused to comment.
Mayor Betty Roppe emailed the following statement to KBNW Thursday morning:
“Capt. Michael Boyd has been fulfilling the day to day operations of the Prineville Police Dept for the past 10 months and had also filled in while Chief Eric Bush was fulfilling his active duty requirement with the National Guard for a year. It was the natural choice to appoint him as interim police chief while we do a search for the replacement of Chief Eric Bush.”
The Central Oregonian reports that Bush filed a lawsuit yesterday in response to the termination. Attorney Roxanne Farra says her client was fired because of his appointment to a high-ranking military position overseas.
Bush had been on paid administrative leave since September 2013 as the investigation took place. He had served with the department since 1990, and as chief since 2003.
