Mayor of Pine Bluff terminates police and fire chiefs to steer department in new direction.

Mayor Vivian Flowers of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, has terminated Police Chief Denise Richardson and Fire Chief Shauwn Howell without specifying job performance as the reason. The mayor stated that the decision is aimed at steering the police department in a new direction. Richardson, who became the first woman chief in 2022, and Howell’s roles were ended abruptly, leaving the city to search for replacements.