KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- On the eve of celebrating the independence that gave you the freedom to ask, and the right to know -- Clinton residents are wondering why the man who'd been their police chief for seven years,
is no longer.

"Really," asks resident Barbara Graham.

"Rick Scarbrough was fired."

Radio station owner Ron Meredith says he hasn't learned the why's,
but he and his callers were determined to find out Friday,
via WYSH-AM's morning program "Ask Your Neighbor."

"Most of them are leaning in favor of the police chief," Meredith says.

" And I think that any time someone loses their job that the city perceives has been doing a good job, they're gonna react to that."

For much of Friday morning, Clinton Police weren't telling citizens or reporters anything, other than to prepare for a statement this coming Monday.

After calls began pouring in to WYSH , police said Detective Sgt. Vaughn Becker would serve as Interim Chief until further notice.

City Manager Steve Jones tells Volunteer TV News that he fired Chief Scarbrough after he exerted improper pressure on a city employee.

"That employee was not a member of the police department," Jones says.

"It was such that I felt I needed to give Chief Scarbrough an opportunity to explain, and then to resign. He refused. So I fired him."

Jones says Clinton's city charter makes the police chief an "at-will" employee, so the City Manager may fire him/her without having to show cause, or seek the approval of the Mayor or City Council.

"The employee's statements were cause," Jones says. "And they also have given me cause to authorize an independent audit of the drug fund."

The "drug fund" allows Clinton Police to buy equipment and incur expenses related to fighting drug-related crimes. Its money is derived from funds and properties forfeited by those convicted of drug crimes.

The Clinton City Recorder's office oversees its expenditures.

"I will say that Chief Scarbrough is not being investigated for any wrongdoing regarding that fund," Jones says.

Scarbrough has told WYSH radio that he can't get into the specifics of hisn firing.

"I'll just say I haven't threatened anyone," he told WYSH.

"I haven't done anything wrong. It's been an honor to serve the citizens of Clinton. I'm hoping that some kind of solution could be work out in their future that would allow me to continue to serve the citizens of Clinton in the future."