Police Chief James Johns suspended
By Jerry W. Kram
New Town Police Chief James Johns was suspended for three days for misuse of city property by the New Town City Council on Tuesday.
The council determined the Johns had used a New Town City police vehicle for personal business and used a special meeting to evaluate Johns’ performance as Police Chief. Council member Thomas Nash said Johns had taken the New Town vehicle to Stanley and he did a job interview while there.
Johns said that he was in Stanley to meet with Mountrail County Domestic Violence. Rather than return to New Town to get his personal vehicle and return to Stanley, he went to the interview before returning to New Town.
"You don’t realize how serious this is," said council member Jay Standish. "Back in the day, if I had done something like that I would have been told to turn in my badge and gun and be investigated for termination. As chief, you are held to a higher standard. You could be suspended or terminated."
