Cliff Buchan
News Editor

The city of Wyoming and Chief of Police Tony Pangal have parted ways.

Meeting in special session on Tuesday, Jan. 10, the council voted to terminate the chief who had been on paid administrative leave since Oct. 21. The chief was taken off duty following a complaint regarding actions taken by the chief. It was filed with the city by Mayor Sheldon Anderson.

Last weekís dismissal followed an internal review by special investigator Richard Setter and city attorneys Tom Miller and Travis Stottler.

Mayor Anderson said this week the council took the action based on documentation that revealed Pangal performed his job without the ìhigh standards and integrityî that the city council demands in its chief.

Anderson said the former chiefís decision to dismiss two tickets written by Wyoming officers and how he handled forfeited property ó vehicles and weapons ó were at the center of the councilís move to dismiss.

The mayor said in the case of the tickets, Pangal asked the county attorneyís office to dismiss both citations. Both were written to persons with family ties to the St. Paul Police Department.

Pangal is a former police officer in St. Paul.

Anderson said the council also found fault with how Pangal was clearing out property that had been forfeited to the city during arrests. In the case of weapons sold by the former chief, Anderson said it is unclear where the guns wound up.

At least three weapons were sold, he said. How Pangal sold forfeited property did not follow state procedures, Anderson said.

ìHe (Pangal) was doing what he wanted to do,î the mayor said. ìWe all like to get things done, but there is a system to abide by.î

Attorneys Miller and Stottler reviewed the chiefís activities with property. Setter investigated the ticket dismissals.

Anderson said the council was disappointed in the ticket matter because the officers involved with the initial traffic stops were not consulted prior to the dismissal.

Pangal did not attend last weekís meeting and Anderson said it is possible the former chief has moved to Atlanta to work in private security. The mayor said he has also heard Pangal may take a position to work in security in Iraq.

The former chief could not be reached for comment. His attorney, Daniel Le, said late last year that Pangal denied the allegations and would take the matter to court.

Pangal was hired as Wyoming chief of police in March of 2004. He previously worked in Chatfield as police chief.

Anderson, who was out of town and not at the Jan. 10 meeting, said the termination provided no settlement benefit. Pangal has been on paid leave for nearly three months.

Sgt. Scott Dexter has served as acting chief of police during the suspension.

The council is yet to announce a plan for how the city will go about securing a permanent replacement.

The city is also in the midst of a process to seek and hire a permanent city administrator. Sandy Berry has served in that capacity since the departure of Jill Teetzel in 2005.

Top of Page

Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605