Hodgenville Police Chief James Richardson set to resign

The City of Hodgenville will be looking for a new police chief soon.

Current Hodgenville Police Chief James Richardson submitted a letter of resignation to Hodgenville Mayor Jim Phelps Thursday. Richardson’s resignation is effective at midnight on June 8.

“My family and I decided that with the current status of the county, with the recent election and how all that turned out, it’s just the arguments and the fights and the things that we have to put up with on a daily basis behind the scenes,” Richardson said. “It’s just no longer worth it to my family and I. We sat down and talked about it, so I am leaving on my own accord. The mayor and I discussed it. He said he understood.”

Richardson said in his resignation letter: “I am not willing to compromise my morals to ‘get along’ with LaRue County officials.”

Richardson had high praise for the employees and officers of the HPD.

“The city has been great to us,” Richardson said. “The city has been good to me. The mayor, the council, I want to thank them for all the support that they’ve given us over the years. The police department’s in a good spot. We’ve got some good officers, so I’m leaving it better than I found it, and that’s the way I always intended.”

Richardson said he has taken a position with another agency as a patrolman.

Phelps said during a special called Hodgenville City Council meeting Thursday that he had accepted Richardson’s resignation. Phelps said he would recommend an interim chief for approval at the next city council meeting, and the city would begin the search for a permanent replacement.