FIRING OF POLICE FORCE CALLED MONEY-SAVING MOVE

GRUETLI-LAAGER, Tenn. - This tiny town's former mayor and the district
attorney both said Monday they thought the firing of the town's police
force was about money, not corruption.

The mayor and aldermen voted last week to dissolve the force. One vote came
from an alderman who had been arrested just days before on prescription
fraud charges.

Rumors flew that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration were investigating in connection with the
methamphetamine trade that thrives on the Cumberland Plateau.

District Attorney Mike Taylor said Monday some people are trying to make
more of this case than just prescription fraud. "The impression I got from
Mayor (Donna) Rollins was that (dissolving the police department ) was an
economic measure," Mr. Taylor said. "The police didn't work fulltime and
the city could save money if it contracted with the sheriff 's department."

Former Mayor Wanda Hart, whose administration preceded Mayor Rollins', said
the police department takes about 50 percent of the town's budget and
citizens were unhappy with the department's service. She said residents
were becoming concerned the police department had become too focused on
"big-time" meth lab busts in Grundy and surrounding counties. People were
worried the officers were overlooking "small time" crimes like speeding,
public intoxication and drunken driving, she said.

"Meth labs are important, but there's other stuff going on other than meth
labs," she said. Ms. Hart said she was puzzled why the current
administration hasn't commented publicly on the decision to eliminate the
police department. She said the public has been supportive. "The mayor has
gotten thankyou notes," she said.

Elected and police officials still weren't commenting Monday. Mayor
Rollins, James Layne and Aldermen Connie Cannon and Dwight Hargis did not
respond to telephone messages. Contacted at his home, former Police Chief
Ferrell Hicks said, "Go away," and shut the door.

Ms. Hart said she doesn't believe anybody is investigating City Hall. "The
TBI and DEA have been there going through evidence, but that's for ongoing
cases they shared with the police department - it's all evidence they need
to finish them," she said.

Mr. Taylor said he believed the motion to dissolve the Gruetli-Laager
Police Department was on the agenda before Mr. Layne was arrested. Mr.
Taylor said he would ask the TBI to look into the matter if someone comes
forward with evidence that Mr. Layne acted to dissolve the department
because of outside pressure or revenge.

Grundy County Sheriff Robert Meeks said Monday it will be costly to patrol
Gruetli-Laager. "We have to pay out for more gas, wear and tear on our
vehicles, more officers' time," he said. "If it continues, we'll ask for a
contract with the city," he said. "I think we'll be able to work something
out financially."