(Fort Worth, TX) — Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald is no longer on the job.

Fitzgerald claims the city decided to fire him but did not release any reason why he was fired, after he refused to resign.  He was suspended from Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, the state police union, this month for not joining the Fort Worth Police Officers Association.  Last week at a national police convention, Fitzgerald reportedly got into a confrontation with the head of CLEAT over the suspension.  The Fort Worth City Manager David Cooke indicated that was the last straw that lead to Fitzgerald’s termination.  Fitzgerald maintains he’s done nothing wrong and plans to appeal his termination.

Mayor Betsy Price issued a statement yesterday backing the City Manager’s decision.  Fitzgerald was going to leave the department last year to become Baltimore City Police Commissioner but later withdrew his name after his son became seriously ill.

Executive Assistant Chief Edwin Kraus is taking over as interim Fort Worth Chief.