City leaves police chief position unfilled

TRINITY — The Trinity City Council voted on Thursday to extend its search for a police chief.

After a lengthy closed session during the council’s regular meeting on Thursday, the council voted unanimously to not offer the position to Interim Chief John Raiford, who has been serving as chief for the last five months after former City Manager and Police Chief Steven Jones left the position.

Mayor Billy Goodin said that the council found Raiford would not be a good fit, and chose to look elsewhere.

Raiford said later that he is no longer serving as interim.

In another matter related to the police department, the council voted to amend its regulation regarding wrecker service in cases regarding impounds or seizures of vehicles picked up in Trinity.

The new regulations require any wrecker service to place these vehicles in a lot in Trinity, as well as requiring wreckers to respond to calls in a reasonable amount of time.

The rules were changed since a wrecker service from Groveton was added to the police department rotation, and when a vehicle was picked up by that service, it was taken to Groveton, making it difficult for people living in Trinity to reclaim.

Vehicle picked up after crashes or for other reasons are not subject to the new rules.