Floore removed as ESL police chief; Arnold sworn in as interim chief
Michael Floore is now a former East St. Louis police chief.
He was removed just after 4 p.m. Monday by City Manager Deletra Hudson.
In a surprise and unannounced move, Patrolman Felix Arnold was sworn in as the new interim police chief on Monday.
Arnold, a seven-year veteran of the department, served as a patrolman and a canine officer.
Arnold said that he is excited about this new opportunity and looks forward to improving public safety in the city of East St. Louis, connecting with the community and interacting with the public in positive ways.
“I am grateful for this opportunity. I live here and won’t let the citizens down,” Arnold said.
The move is a continued component of the city’s restructuring plan, said Hudson. She expects the chief to focus initially on continuing to build strong relationships in the community and to take time to assess the organizational structures and policies of the department.
Floore declined to comment, but a News-Democrat reporter took a photo of him taking his personal items out of the chief’s office.
As Hudson was leaving City Hall about 7 p.m. Monday, a News-Democrat reporter caught up with her and asked when the decision was made to remove Floore as chief. “I got the official notice today,” she said. Arnold was sworn in at 4:30 p.m., Hudson said.
Hudson said once she received the notice, she called Floore and his assistant chief Roy Mickens and told them Monday afternoon. “We sat down, had a meeting and started the transition,” Hudson said.
Floore will go back to being a detective/patrolman, the job he had prior to taking over as the chief of police in 2012. Arnold will get the same salary that Floore had. Hudson didn’t have the figures in her head, she said.
The East St. Louis police chief’s office has had 12 occupants in the past decade, including two convicted federal felons (Ronald Matthews and Michael Baxton.)
Here are the top cops, their terms and their fates:
Delbert Marion September 2001- April 2003
Ronald Matthew April 2003- January 2005- left when he was indicted on federal perjury and obstruction charges. He was sentenced to 33 months in prison.
Marion Hubbard January 2005- May 2005 acting chief
Lenzie Stewart was installed as interim chief in May 2005 for one week
James Mister came aboard as chief on May 20, 2005-June 29 2007 (replaced)
Michael Baxton June 2007 -February 13, 2009 (resigned)
Robert Jenne, from Louisiana, Mo., was hired March 2010 at a salary of $90,000, but the Financial Advisory Authority, the city’s then-oversight panel, would not approve the salary. Jenne never took office
Lenzie Stewart was installed as chief in Feb. 2009 and stayed on until May 2011 (city tried to hire Robert jenne to replace Stewart as chief in March 2010). Stewart retired
Ranadore Foggs came on as chief in May 2011 and stayed until October 2011 (resigned)
Bobbie Cole was interim chief from October 2011-Nov. 2011
Michael Baxton came back as chief in Nov. 2011 and remained as chief until Jan. 18, 2012
Michael Floore came on as chief from Jan. 18 2012 -July 13, 2015
Washington Park also has changed police chiefs.
Tony Tomlinson will take over as chief for Aubrey Keller, whose last day is Friday, according to village clerk Ricky Thomas.
Tomlinson is a former Centreville detective and Alorton and Brooklyn police chief. He was hired last month by Washington Park as a part-time officer.
Delbert Marion, a former East St. Louis police chief was hired in Washington Park as director of public safety, was let go by that village two weeks ago.
This story was originally published July 13, 2015 at 6:34 PM with the headline "Floore removed as ESL police chief; Arnold sworn in as interim chief."