Video: Starkville Chief of Police Retires Amid Controversy

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – After the Starkville Board of Alderman held a special, closed-door meeting, Mayor Parker Weisman announced Chief of Police David Lindley decided to retire Tuesday afternoon.

Lindley was placed on administrative leave last week but officials have yet to give details about that decision. Chief Lindley told WCBI that his wife, MSU Chief of Police Georgia Lindley, had recently brushed someone’s bumper in a church parking lot but left the scene because she didn’t know she’d hit someone. However, a report was filed once his wife realized what she did. No one has confirmed if this led to Lindley’s sudden retirement but Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman says Lindley served the department well.

“It is no exaggeration at all to say that under his leadership, the Starkville Police Department became recognized as one of the very finest police departments to be found anywhere in the state of Mississippi. It was his decision to retire,” says Wiseman.

Lindley worked for the Starkville Police Department for 38 years and served as Chief since December 2001 . He’s credited with leading Starkville Police to become the first department to get state accreditation as well as being one of only six departments in the state to get a national accreditation.

Retired Starkville Assistant Chief John Outlaw will be the interim Chief until Lindley’s replacement is found.