Former Wetumpka Chief breaks silence after filing federal lawsuit

By Jennifer Horton

Published: Sep. 25, 2015 at 9:46 PM CDT | Updated: Oct. 3, 2015 at 10:02 PM CDT

WETUMPKA, AL (WSFA) - After a lengthy administrative process, former Wetumpka Police Chief Celia Dixon will have her day in court.

Dixon filed an EEOC complaint for age and gender discrimination after she was terminated from her position in Wetumpka in October, 2014. The Department of Justice investigated the claim, and issued a right to sue letter. 

A year is likely all that stands between former Wetumpka Police Chief Celia Dixon and her day in court. She was terminated by the city council nearly a year ago, through what many called a witch hunt by Mayor Jerry Willis.
 
"The lawsuit alleges there was a scheme to enlist the help of other people, including the city council and police officers, in order to get rid of Chief Dixon,"
Attorney Wallace Mills said. "I don't know if all the city officials were involved or not involved. It certainly involved a number of them."
 
Dixon says a week after she was appointed, Willis told her to watch her back.

As for the backlash that led to her ouster, "I think some of the council people got caught up in what was orchestrating, and they didn't know how to get out of it," Dixon explained. 

The lawsuit alleges Mayor Jerry Willis immediately began campaigning to remove Dixon after she was appointed.

Willis is quoted in the lawsuit as saying to a witness, "I had nothing to do with hiring her but, I will have something to do with firing her."

Willis allegedly even told others he didn't want an old woman as a police chief.

"We have people from the community that are willing to testify: councilmen past and present that are willing to testify, law enforcement that will testify,"
Dixon said. "The anonymous officers, they will have to testify also."

The complaint alleges Willis recruited Deputy Chief Anthony Crenshaw to help him oust Dixon, but he did not cooperate. Crenshaw was also investigated alongside Dixon.

Others were reportedly recruited according to the lawsuit. Those who agreed were elected to the council and voted for Dixon's termination. The one candidate who didn't agree, was not elected.

While claims are lofty, Dixon says it's nothing short of the truth.

"Will I be able to prove it? Yeah I will," Dixon said.
 
The City of Wetumpka, alongside Mayor Jerry Willis, have maintained their innocence throughout this process. 

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