HORSE CAVE — The city’s former police chief’s request to speak to the city council at its Jan. 12 meeting has been denied.

Ricky Sanders asked to be placed on the agenda so that he may address allegations made by Mayor Odell Martin regarding the misuse of police department funds.

Martin did not explain why Sanders would not be allowed to speak.

“I don’t have any comments to make,” he said.

During the council’s December meeting, Martin distributed a financial report that was entered into the council’s minutes.

In the report, Martin said when he took office in January 2007 he received bills for guns and ammunition purchased by the city.

Upon investigation, he said he learned the amount of the purchases exceeded the available amount in the city’s drug-seizure fund. A sum of $8,260.83 for the purchases had to be paid with monies from other funds. He pointed out the city council did not approve the purchases and the money was not allocated in the city’s budget. Martin was a member of the city council prior to being elected mayor.

“We actually had a Deputy Sheriff from Metcalfe County, Kevin Thompson (e.g. Transaction 1-15548), charging police body equipment against Horse Cave’s general fund in the amount of $1,281.27,” Martin said in the report.

Sanders said he can explain how the money was spent, and can present proof to the council that what he did was legal.

He said he anticipated the mayor’s reaction to his request to speak to the council.

“I’ve come to expect that from him,” he said. “He’s not going to let anyone with the truth speak.”

Sanders intends on being present at the meeting and said he has a letter he will be distributing to council members that will offer an explanation for what Martin has been saying.

In an earlier interview, Sanders said, “He has told me I would never be allowed to speak as long as he is mayor. If I had something on somebody and they did all this illegal activity, what better forum than a public forum to show what they’ve done?”

Sanders also said the police equipment was purchased with drug fund monies and that the city’s mayor at the time, JoAnne Smith, was aware of it, as well as Hart County Attorney Mike Nichols.

As for Metcalfe County Deputy Sheriff Kevin Thompson, Sanders said he was merely assisting Horse Cave police officers by bringing Metcalfe County’s K-9 unit along.

“What he would do is he would come over on his days off and on weekends and actually got Arthur Lee Brown, who at the time was one of the most prolific drug dealers in Horse Cave,” Sanders said. “If it hadn’t been for him, with his assistance with the K-9, we never would have gotten (Brown).”

Metcalfe County Sheriff Rondal Shirley confirmed Thompson has assisted Horse Cave Police by using the county’s dog unit, and it’s not unusual for Shirley’s department to assist other police agencies.

“It’s just a request from them to use a dog,” Shirley said. “He doesn’t work for them. It’s just a matter of assisting them.”

As for the equipment Thompson uses when assisting other police agencies, Shirley said he uses whatever equipment he is given by the sheriff’s department.

According to Sanders, Thompson asked him if the Horse Cave Police Department would buy him a bullet proof vest, some clothes and a jacket. Thompson told Sanders that Metcalfe County just didn’t have the money in their budget to purchase such items.

“So, I called Mike (Nichols) and asked if there was any way I could go ahead and buy him some equipment,” Sanders said. “And he said, ‘Yeah, anyone who assists the Horse Cave Police Department, you can purchase out of the drug fund.’”

Nichols confirmed Sanders did talk to him about receiving assistance from the Metcalfe County Sheriff’s Department’s K-9 unit and about purchasing the equipment for Thompson with drug fund monies.

“If Metcalfe helped Horse Cave, Horse Cave could help Metcalfe. You’re fighting crime together. It’s not turf war,” he said. “There was no Chinese fire wall as far as Ricky’s use of the money.”

Nichols said Sanders could use the money at his own discretion provided the use pertained to law enforcement.

“He couldn’t go to Subway and get himself a foot long sandwich,” Nichols said.

Martin attempted to fire Sanders in May 2007, but Sanders demanded a hearing. The city’s insurance company agreed to settle with him for $7,500 and he was allowed to resign effective May 11, 2007, according to Sanders.

“As part of the settlement reached with the city’s insurance company, I was able to resign,” Sanders said. His resignation was effective May 11, 2007. Because Sanders resigned, he received unemployment benefits.

“So, basically, I drew double my salary for the eight months I was off work thanks to (Martin),” Sanders said. “All of this is a matter of public record.”

Sanders was also able to purchase the guns he used while working for the city as chief of police as part of the settlement. He paid $1,350 for a Glock model 27, a Glock model 35, a Winchester model 870, 12 gauge shotgun and a Smith and Wesson AR-15.

Sanders then sold the AR-15 to Mark Cromwell, a former Horse Cave police officer.

“I did that after clearing it with Mike Nichols,” Sanders said. “Everything I did that was unusual, I cleared it with Mike Nichols, the county attorney. It was all run through him, as well as the district and circuit judge’s office.”

Horse Cave’s city council is scheduled to meet Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. at city hall.