Clio police chief resigns for 'better' gig, says she wants to squash sexual assault rumors

Clio — A police chief in a small Michigan town is resigning from her post for developmental reasons and not, she said, over sexual harassment claims of some residents.   

The City Commission of Clio accepted the resignation letter of Chief Jamie Zecman on Monday. The chief will serve until Oct. 14. 

"We appreciate Chief Zecman's service to the City and wish her well in the next stage of her life," City Administrator Eric Wiederhold said in a Facebook post. 

Zecman, who joined the department in October 2019, told The News Friday her new opportunity as a "better offer, better benefits and better pay."

She declined to name her next agency, as the deal is not done. The agency is still backgrounding Zecman.

The new job is in Michigan, Zecman said.

"I got kids," Zecman said. "I'm not going anywhere."

Clio has posted the job, and notes that it calls for a "working chief." Zecman on Friday said she was preparing for parade detail. 

Zecman will work through next Thursday, then "take a little time to chill" until ready to start the new job.

"Clio's been a great pace to work," Zecman said. "It's just time to go."

Zecman also noted in the letter the resignation has “nothing to do with the false sexual assault allegations by the anti-police citizens who reside in Clio.”

The allegations have been made only on social media and through an August protest outside the Clio Police Department, the chief told MLive's The Flint Journal on Friday, Oct. 8.

Zecman said she believes the allegations were made in “retaliation” to a search warrant that was served on a home.

No formal complaint has been filed with the police, she told MLive.

Zecman is the first female police chief in Clio's history. 

An ABC12 report from August quoted Clio resident Mindy Green as saying she had been experiencing sexual harassment and abuse of power from the police department for over a year.

“I am demanding that Chief Zecman takes responsibility for the actions that she’s done and the actions of her officers or she be removed from her position,” Green told the news station at the protest.

Zecman denied the validity of these claims and told MLive, "This particular group has put out these allegations on social media so it was beginning to get some traction and some legs and I wanted to try to attempt to squash that as fast as I could."