UPDATE: Prine rejects Mobile’s ‘ultimatum’ to cut ties with him; presses for investigation
UPDATE (1:15 p.m.): Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine used the word “ultimatum” to describe the city’s offers to cut ties with him.
“The appropriate phrase should be an ‘ultimatum,” Prine said.
The city’s original offer to Prine before he was placed on leave included a retirement plan and a severance package.
Prine turned down that offer and asked for a lump sum of $600,000 instead, which the city denied.
“It’s not about the money,” Prine said. “The problem is we couldn’t get past the one-way non-disparagement clause, and the city says it’s non-negotiable.”
That non-disparagement clause would have kept Prine from making derogatory comments of the city and police leadership moving forward.
City Attorney Ricardo Woods announced on Tuesday that one offer was still on the table for Prine, but Prine said it wasn’t much different than the first.
“If I did not accept the ultimatum that got us to this point, I’m certainly not going to accept an ultimatum today,” Prine said.
All of this comes in the wake of a third-party review of the police department’s policies and procedures headed by former U.S. Attorney Kenyen Brown, which was released to the public.
Prine’s next move would put the city council in a position to open an investigation into Prine’s allegations.
“My goal at this point really is to simply maybe force the council to open an investigation,” Prine said. “If that includes forcing them to terminate me then I think that is the cause.”
The city council, on Tuesday, is expected to vote on Prine’s termination. The council will also consider a resolution to investigate Prine’s allegations.
The city did not want to comment on camera.
UPDATE (12:29 p.m.): Suspended Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine passed on a settlement offer from the city on Friday.
City officials made Prine a settlement offer with a deadline of noon Friday.
City officials said that the offer included severance pay and an agreement to stop Prine from commenting further on the city or the police department.
Prine’s termination could be voted on as early as Tuesday’s city council meeting.
ORIGINAL STORY:
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — The clock is ticking on a settlement offer the City of Mobile reportedly made for Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine, who is on administrative leave.
“The offer before Prine includes severance pay, but also requires him to refrain from additional disparagement of the city and police leadership, as well as make himself available for legal matters related to lawsuits the police department incurred under his leadership,” a city official said.
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“To this point, we have not received a response from Prine, but he has until noon today to reply. Should he refuse, the City Council will have to vote to remove him from his role.”
The statement comes one day after Prine made a statement on a settlement offer that was reportedly stated publicly but not officially offered.
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“Ricardo Wood, city attorney, publicly stated Tuesday, April 23, 2024, that the administration has made me an offer to settle,” Prine said. “However, there has been no official offer Presented. As of today the administration has only demanded a one way non disparaging clause that favors the city while essentially gagging me from speaking publicly.
“They have asserted this is non negotiable thus terms have not been discussed. The administration has not once shown that they would act in good faith to resolve these matters, yet continues to convince the public and city counselors that they are the only ones making an effort to cleanup this mess.”
The City Council is slated to vote on Prine’s termination in their next meeting on Tuesday, April 30.
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