MARS HILL, N.C. – Jon Clark is the former chief of the Mars Hill Police Department in North Carolina. He was originally suspended without pay Sept. 20, 2023, before being terminated later in October for multiple allegations of misconduct, including soliciting nude photos from the wife of a subordinate, according to reports.
Clark had been with the small agency since 2016 and spent two years in the position of police chief. When allegations of misconduct became known last year, the town hired U.S. Investigative Security Services based in Huntersville to conduct the investigation, Citizen Times reported.
The third-party investigation sustained multiple allegations of misconduct, to include soliciting nude photos from the wife of a subordinate, mishandling firearms in his office, insubordination, and misuse of a town-issued car, according to Clark’s termination letter obtained by The News-Record & Sentinel.
Town Manager Nathan Bennett listed several reasons for Clark’s termination in the letter dated Oct. 16, 2023, according to the Citizen Times.
The first was for engaging in inappropriate actions toward the wife of then-Capt. Chad Wilson, who was later named to be Clark’s replacement as chief of police, effective Jan. 1.
“Your conduct in attempting to pursue a romantic relationship with the wife of one of your officers is reprehensible,” Bennett noted in the letter of termination.
