After being indicted in September for an alleged assault in connection to an incident off-duty, Ketchikan’s police chief was placed on paid administrative leaves
Delilah Walsh, Ketchikan’s City Manager, sent an email stating that Walls is currently on leave while the city conducts its internal investigation.
Walsh stated in an email Wednesday morning that Chief Walls is currently on administrative Leave while we complete our internal Review.
It is not clear how long this review will take. Walsh declined to speculate on Walls’ time away or the date he might return to work. Walsh states that Eric Mattson, Deputy Chief of Police, will be acting as chief interim.
A Ketchikan grand jury indicted Walls last week on felony third degree assault charges and five misdemeanors.
Prosecutors claim Walls choked a man with a stone wall for one to two minutes, after the man had drunkenly fallen into Walls’ bar chair at Salmon Falls Resort. He required stitches to his injuries.
Walls pleaded not guilty to the charges and has denied them. Jay Hochberg, Jay Walls’ attorney, said that Walls responded appropriately to what he thought was an attack on his wife.
Hochberg stated Wednesday that his client was expected to be on leave for the city’s investigation and would like to return to work as soon as possible.
“We expect Chief Walls will be reinstated following that investigation. Hochberg spoke by telephone.
Hochberg said Walls is liked in Ketchikan, and that he has received “tremendous expressions of support” by police officers and other community members.
Walls will be back in court February 7. His trial is set for mid-March.
