TOWN CHIEF SUSPENDED, OFFICER FIRED

TROUP, Texas (AP) -- City officials in this East Texas town have suspended
the police chief and fired an officer after they were arrested as part of
an investigation into corruption, drugs and tampering with evidence.

The Troup City Council held an emergency meeting Monday following last
week's arrest of Chief Chester Kennedy and Officer Samuel Mark Turner.

The council voted to place Kennedy on unpaid leave for 30 days. He was
charged last week with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and
released from jail on a $400,000 bond.

The council approved the firing of Turner, who remained jailed Tuesday
night on bonds totaling $500,000. He's charged with misdemeanor delivery of
marijuana and felony tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.

The two men's arrest followed an eight-week investigation by the FBI and
Smith County officials after Turner allegedly delivered marijuana.

Troup Mayor John Whitsell declined to say whether city officials had heard
any complaints about the police department.

"There's rumors in every town in the state of Texas," he told the Tyler
Morning Telegraph for its Tuesday editions.