Fort Morgan residents ask council to explain police chief’s retirement
At an Oct. 6 council meeting, speakers praised Lauren Sharp’s service, questioned how his departure was handled and called for his reinstatement.
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Fort Morgan residents asked city leaders to explain Police Chief Lauren Sharp’s departure at an Oct. 6 City Council meeting. Sharp’s retirement took effect Sept. 30, according to a message he posted on the Fort Morgan Police Department’s Facebook page.
Several speakers praised Sharp’s service and community policing. Some asked for an explanation of how the departure was handled or called for Sharp to be reinstated. A council member praised his three decades of service, called his work exemplary and said they were sorry to see him go.
One speaker alleged the city paid $90,000 in connection with Sharp’s departure. A former council member said council members had been polled individually and that the count was 6–1. The council did not address those claims or take action on Sharp’s departure during the meeting.
In his retirement message, Sharp said the department had met a written succession-plan goal set by the City Council in 2022 and was prepared for what came next. The Oct. 6 council agenda listed a work session on options and processes for hiring the next police chief and an interim chief.