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Assistant Chief John Wagner named as WRPD acting chief

Following Monday's unexpected retirement announcement by Chief Brett Evans, Mayor Randy Toms explains what happened

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Warner Robins' police chief Brett Evans is leaving and now the city has a new acting chief.

Just before noon, Mayor Randy Toms announced Assistant Chief John Wagner as the new acting chief of the police department.

He also talked about the meeting that led to Chief Brett Evans' retirement.

RELATED: A council meeting, a closed session, and a 'surprise' retirement: Brett Evans is out as Warner Robins Chief of Police

Toms said that what happened was a bit of a surprise.

He says city leaders had three problems with Evans: police department morale, hiring and retention.

Seeing Warner Robins violent crime rise again in 2018 didn't help, he said.

Toms says he went into the meeting thinking that they'd discuss ways to improve the department, but some council members pressed for Evans to step down.

"I expected to go into that meeting with a discussion of how to get involved with a council member. Mr. Thomas and myself [wanted] to get more directly involved with Chief Evan and the department on how to solve those issues and it took a different turn," said Toms.

Now, Mayor Toms didn't say that the chief job's is John Wagner's to keep, but said he expects him to excel as acting chief and they're not currently planning to start a search.

RELATED: Warner Robins Police Department adds fresh faces to force

RELATED (JUNE 2018): Some on Warner Robins council say they never planned to fire police chief

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