Majority of police force resigns after city elects first black female mayor

theGRIO REPORT - Parma, Missouri, has a new mayor elect, and she will be the first African-American female mayor in the city. But not everyone is happy about the Tyrus Byrd's historic victory, according to the current mayor, Randall Ramsey...

Parma, Missouri, has a new mayor elect, and she will be the first African-American female mayor in the city.

But not everyone is happy about the Tyrus Byrd’s historic victory,  according to the current mayor, Randall Ramsey. Ramsey says five out of the small town’s six police officers turned in their resignations following the election.

Ramsey, who has served the city for 37 years in two different terms, lost the election by a mere 37 votes.

Watch residents’ reactions to the officers’ resignations below:

Citing “safety concerns,” other officials, including the city’s attorney, the clerk and the waste water treatment plant supervisor, also resigned.

Mayor Elect Byrd said she would be looking into the situation and asking questions about what “safety concerns” were supposedly at issue.

Byrd campaigned on a life of service, pointing to her record as a city clerk and her service as a missionary. She says that her first priority when she takes office will be to clean up the city.

Perhaps it is that “cleaning up” that officers and officials take issue with.

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