West Frankfort Officers Publicly Back Deputy Chief Willis

Mayor apologizes for mishandling rumors of a new police chief

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Three West Frankfort police officers spoke at a City Council meeting to express their full support for Deputy Chief Clint Willis, saying he has shown them respect and is doing a phenomenal job leading the department. This comes after the mayor revealed he had been approached by someone interested in the police chief position, which upset Willis and his family, the officers, and members of the City Council.

Why it matters

The public show of support from the officers highlights the importance of maintaining stability and trust within a police department, especially during times of potential leadership changes. The mayor's acknowledgment of mishandling the situation and commitment to keeping Willis in his role aims to quell any disruption to the department's operations.

The details

At Tuesday's City Council meeting, three West Frankfort police officers spoke in support of Deputy Chief Clint Willis, who has been leading the department since Chief John Prudent's retirement last year. The officers said Willis has shown them respect and is doing an excellent job, and that they back him 100 percent. This came after Mayor Tim Arview revealed that someone had approached him about the police chief position, which upset Willis, his family, the officers, and City Council members. Following the meeting, the mayor posted on Facebook that he completely mishandled the situation and apologized, stating there will be no changes to the police department for the foreseeable future and that he looks forward to continuing to work with Willis as he makes improvements.

  • Deputy Chief Clint Willis took over the police department after Chief John Prudent's retirement last year.
  • The City Council meeting where the officers spoke in support of Willis took place on Tuesday, February 12, 2026.

The players

Clint Willis

The deputy chief of the West Frankfort Police Department who has been leading the department since the retirement of the previous chief.

John Prudent

The former police chief of the West Frankfort Police Department who retired last year.

Tim Arview

The mayor of West Frankfort who revealed that someone had approached him about the police chief position, which upset Willis, the officers, and City Council members.

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What they’re saying

“Willis has shown them respect, is doing a phenomenal job and back him 100 percent since he took the reins of the police department after Chief John Prudent's retirement last year.”

— Three West Frankfort police officers (wmix94.com)

“I completely mishandled the situation, and in the process, upset Willis and his family, the police officers, and members of the City Council. I apologized to everyone and said their voices have been heard.”

— Mayor Tim Arview (Facebook)

What’s next

The mayor says there will be no changes to the police department for the foreseeable future and looks forward to continuing working with Willis as he makes improvements to the police department.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the importance of maintaining stability and trust within a police department, especially during times of potential leadership changes. The mayor's acknowledgment of mishandling the situation and commitment to keeping Willis in his role aims to quell any disruption to the department's operations and rebuild trust with the officers and community.