Jonesboro Police Chief Mike Yates has resigned effective immediately just days after he was suspended without pay for comments he made online about a local reporter.
Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin said he received Yates’ letter on Monday. Assistant Chief of Police Tim Eads will fill in as interim police chief until a new chief is chosen.
"I let my anger and pride over-ride my judgement and wisdom by saying a number of things that are unacceptable given my position,” Yates said in the letter.
Perrin had suspended Yates for 30 days without pay on Friday.
Jonesboro Sun reporter Sunshine Crump resigned Aug. 18 after Yates made comments about her on his personal Facebook page, addressing her character and abilities as a reporter.
“The level of stress and anxiety created by a public official who commands a small army, and who targets someone in such a manner for First Amendment protected activities is hard to measure," Crump said in her resignation letter.
Chris Wessel, a Sun editor, said Crump withdrew her resignation after Yates resigned Monday.
Wessel said that Crump, previously a police reporter, will possibly change her focus at the Jonesboro paper.
“She did a really good job [on the police beat], obviously, but I think she wants to branch out and do something different,” he said. “I’m thrilled she’s coming back. It was hard on all of us. We really felt for her.”
Crump returned to the newsroom on Monday, Wessel said.
Crump said she felt relieved when she was notified of the police chief's resignation Monday.
"I won't be staying on the police beat, which is disappointing for me, but I'm not sure what I'll be doing now—hopefully great work," she said. "I'll be glad when everything gets back to normal."
Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for more on this story.
