Update: Bluffton Police chief accepts new job in Tenn. after controversial short term

After a controversial nine months as chief of the Bluffton Police Department, Joseph Manning has accepted another job as police chief in a Tennessee town, according to WBIR, a Knoxville news station.

The announcement was made Friday by the Sevierville Police Department. The Bluffton Police Department and Town of Bluffton had not released their own announcement as of Saturday afternoon.

Manning declined to comment on his new role Saturday, saying he wants to wait until the town can "put a coordinated release out."

Just last week, Town Manager Marc Orlando said he had no knowledge of Manning looking for another job when asked by The Island Packet whether the chief was interviewing for another position.

Orlando said Saturday that he learned Manning was in the interviewing process for the Tennessee job late last week.

“People apply for jobs and they don't necessarily tell their bosses," Orlando said. "My understanding is that he looked at a community he has close personal ties to — friends and a place he has traveled to. The position came open and he looked into it."

Calls to Mayor Lisa Sulka's cellphone inquiring about Manning's position were not returned last week, along with a call to the town's public information officer requesting a comment from the mayor.

On Saturday, Sulka responded to an Island Packet reporter via text message.

“I have been out of town and now w(ith) family all day," Sulka said in the text. "I have not spoken w(ith) chief or Marc so would like to talk with them first."

Sulka also said via text Saturday it was the first time she had heard that a statement from her was needed. She said she had never received any calls from the newspaper last week.

"I am happy for him and proud of the work he did for us during his time as deputy as well as police chief," Sulka texted. "We wish him the best and know the town he is moving to will love having him."

Manning said Saturday he does not yet know when his last day will be.

Manning’s annual salary in Bluffton was $106,000 when he was appointed in July 2017, according to police department spokeswoman Joy Nelson. It was unclear Saturday whether this salary includes additional benefits such as stipends for home or vehicle.

A current salary for Manning was not available Saturday. Orlando said it had been adjusted with performance since the hire but he was traveling back from Florida and unable to retrieve the number.

Manning would not say what his new salary in Tennessee will be. A 2018 budget for the town showed the minimum grade salary for the position is $85,000.

Manning's time as Bluffton police chief began in July 2017, shortly after the previous chief, Joey Reynolds, retired.

Reynolds announced his retirement when The Island Packet began asking questions about his extensive paid absences related to his involvement in the FBI National Academy. Reynolds was gone for at least five months out of 15 months during his five-year tenure, costing taxpayers about $80,000.

Manning, who became deputy chief in Bluffton in September 2013, led the department in Reynolds' absence.

Under Manning's leadership, the department has faced criticism for its unusually high overtime bill of nearly $337,000 during Hurricane Matthew, including five-figure payouts each to Manning and Reynolds; for paying overtime to officers who were accused of drinking on duty, which Manning characterized as something that, if true, had been done using good judgment; for its policing practices after an experienced detective led an operation that resulted in an improper arrest outside of Bluffton's jurisdiction; and for its hiring practices.

Orlando said Saturday that the town has no personnel concerns with Manning.

"He has done a great job for us," Orlando said. "He has led the department through at least two murders, a hurricane and a major storm. We appreciate his leadership and the sacrifice he made as a professional."

Immediately after the department's overtime spending was reported, The Island Packet was told that routine incident reports from the department would now require a Freedom of Information Act request, counter to state transparency laws on releasing information to the public.

When the paper reported the change, Orlando and Manning requested a meeting with the paper and reversed their decision, which Manning said was a misunderstanding.

Manning was questioned again in the following months over his hiring of Officer Selena Nelson, a former Beaufort County Sheriff's Office sergeant who was fired by the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office in August for dishonesty, serious misconduct that requires a state hearing, in which Nelson risked losing her law enforcement certification. Manning said he knew when he hired Nelson why she had been fired.

Orlando said Manning was hired for chief of the Bluffton police without the job being posting outside the department or any other candidates being considered.

"It was an internal process," Orlando said. "I interviewed him first. Chief Reynolds had a succession plan in place. It was not absolute, but Major Manning was being trained — in anticipation that if there was an opening, he would have an opportunity."

Manning began his law enforcement career in 1984 in Florida, where he supervised deputies in patrol, narcotics, internal investigations and counterterrorism intelligence over 27 years, according to the Bluffton Police Department.

Orlando said he is unsure how the hiring process will work to replace Manning.

"Do I have an internal candidate in the department right now?" Orlando said. "I'm not sure that I do, but I will have to get back home and explore. I think this process might be different than the last internal one."

The Sevierville Police Department has 59 sworn officers and covers about 24 square miles. In comparison, the Bluffton department has 49 sworn officers and covers 54 square miles. Sevierville is in the Great Smoky Mountains and attracts millions of tourists. The police department's website states the city has 15,000 permanent residents and 11 million visitors annually.

This story was originally published April 7, 2018 at 10:22 AM with the headline "Update: Bluffton Police chief accepts new job in Tenn. after controversial short term."