LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Henderson City Council members were divided Tuesday night regarding the contentious departure of their police chief and the question of whether to be transparent—that much was clear.
On Thursday 8 News Now reported Henderson Police Chief Hollie Chadwick was placed on administrative leave and would have until Mar. 6 to decide whether to retire or be removed from her position. The city has not provided a reason for the decision made by Stephanie Garcia-Vause, Henderson City Manager.
“I can assure you that this decision was not made lightly,” Mayor Michelle Romero said during a Tuesday city council meeting. “The city manager serves as the chief executive officer for the city, and it is critical that she is confident in the ability of all of her teammates to help advance the city’s vision to be America’s premier community.”
Henderson City Charter Sec. 1.090 notes appointment of executive officer, such as the police chief, must be made by the city manager. Interference by city council into a decision made by the city manager, such as the removal of the police chief, is unauthorized, according to Sec. 3.140.
“A sad day for Henderson”
Councilwoman Carrie Cox, the only official in opposition, acknowledged the charter which limited any interference of the city manager’s choice, but still weighed in on the matter.
“This is a sad day for Henderson,” she said. “And leadership is not about agendas, control, or power.”
The departure for Chadwick is another of eight Henderson police chiefs which were removed or encouraged to leave from the position with one outlier, according to Cox.
“What I asked from my colleagues today is, let’s get transparent,” Cox said. “It is time that our community, that our police department, that people know what’s going.”
Cox delivered a seven-minute speech during the mayor and councilmember comment period which ended with applause and cheering from those in attendance.
Following the speech, Councilwoman Monica Larson cited her background as a trained psychologist and noted the opposition’s response as deeply emotional hindering an understanding of the issues. She added she supported the city manager’s decision.
“I believe in transparency,” Larson said. “I don’t believe in grandstanding.”
Councilman Jim Seebock and Dan Stewart followed with remarks supporting the city manager’s decision on placing Chadwick on administrative leave.
“I applaud Stephanie, she made the hard decision,” Stewart said. “She didn’t make it in a rash way. She used her smarts to come up and make this decision.”
“How is this happening”
Several members of the public, some retired Henderson police officers, spoke during the public comment period of the meeting—most voicing support for Chadwick.
“How can [Chadwick] have such a pristine 23 years and have someone, the city manager, come in after one month and fire her,” Chris Schaeffer, a Henderson resident, said. “How is that possible? How is this happening?”
8 News Now reached out to Chadwick but did not receive an answer to requests for comment, as of Tuesday.
Andrew Regenbaum, executive director for the Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers, responded to an 8 News Now request for comment on Friday answering why the police union supported the city manager’s decision.
“The city’s decision was not unexpected and was a long time coming,” Regenbaum told the 8 News Now Investigators. “The unions look forward to healing the divides that were created within the department and moving ahead collaboratively.”
According to the Henderson Police Supervisors Association, a complaint was filed against Chadwick — and the police department — in December 2024. The complaint accuses Chadwick, among other things, of “union busting,” saying she “engaged in an unfair labor practice by arbitrarily punishing and retaliating against the HPSA President for conducting union business…”
Supporters of Chadwick defended the chief and her years of service, pointing to an online petition which has received over a thousand signatures. Jeff Crampton, the petition’s author, said the city still has not explained the reason for their decision.
“Nobody has said anything about why, all that’s said is why not which is there are no problems with her,” he said. “She hasn’t done anything wrong.”
Chadwick’s deadline to decide whether to take the city’s resignation offer is on March 6. For the time being, the city has appointed Henderson Deputy Chief Itzhak Henn as acting chief.
