Doug McDonald was terminated Monday, Aug. 23, from his position as assistant police chief for the Red Boiling Springs Police Department.

In a special called meeting at City Hall, the RBS City Council voted 5-0 (with one councilman passing) to terminate McDonald.

There was no discussion of a possible replacement.

“We had some problems, Terry called me and I put him on a two-week suspension,” RBS Mayor Kenneth Hollis said in bringing the topic to the council’s attention.

Hollis then called on RBS Police Chief Terry Tuck.

“He was on a two-week suspension,” Tuck said. “The mayor and myself, we spoke and decided the mayor was going to lift the suspension. I was going to call Doug and let him know that.”

Tuck said he called McDonald to have him come in and meet with himself and the mayor to discuss the situation.

“I got in touch with Doug and he refused to come in and speak with us,” Tuck said. “He didn’t think it would do any good. I told Doug that kind of left my hands tied and I had no other options. He told me I had to do what I had to do.

“Doug’s a good officer. I don’t know what’s going on. I hate to lose him, but he doesn’t leave me any options. I would ask the council to terminate him as a police officer here in Red Boiling Springs.”

McDonald, who was not in uniform, was then given the chance to speak.

“I’ve enjoyed working here. I love Red Boiling, and I’ve enjoyed working for everybody here," McDonald said. "The harassment by Vice-Mayor John Cook has got to be too much for me to even come into work. When you start taking your job home it’s time to find something else. That’s my whole reason – I’m tired of putting up with it.”

Councilman Bobby Etheridge called McDonald “one of the best officers we’ve ever had” before making the motion to terminate him. It was seconded by Steve Newberry.

The motion passed with a 5-0 vote, with Councilman Billy Joe Carver passing on the vote.

Cook said nothing during the meeting in response to McDonald’s allegations of harassment.

After the meeting, Cook told the Times that McDonald’s allegations were completely false.

Instead, Cook alleged that McDonald was the one harassing him. Cook said McDonald sent him a series of harassing text messages last week.

“When he’s singling out the vice mayor, that the vice mayor has been harassing him, I haven’t been harassing him,” Cook said after the meeting. “I like the kid. I thought he had a lot of potential to be an officer. He’s his own worst enemy. But John Cook has not harassed him, and that’s the bottom line.”

McDonald said he had been an RBS police officer since 2002. McDonald said he has a couple different job offers on the table and is exploring his options moving forward.