Tiny Town Ends Police Program That Gave Mercer a Badge
- Mayor of Lake Arthur, New Mexico, ends reserve-officer program
- Chief of police placed on leave, credentials recalled
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The tiny New Mexico town that handed out police badges to dozens of out-of-towners, including New York hedge fund manager Robert Mercer, is stopping the practice.
Lake Arthur Mayor Ysidro Salazar said he shut the town’s volunteer reserve-officer program last week and is asking current reserve officers to hand in their credentials, which allowed them to carry concealed weapons in every U.S. state. The mayor put William Norwood, who served as Lake Arthur’s volunteer police chief, on administrative leave. His status will be discussed at a town council meeting on Thursday, Salazar said. Norwood didn’t respond to requests for comment.