Former chief, volunteers and parents protest termination of school volunteers and allege retaliation

Several former and current public‑safety volunteers and local residents urged the Mesquite City Council on Aug. 12 to reconsider recent terminations and to review the city’s handling of school‑based volunteer programs. Former Police Chief McCoy Chesley, retired officers and volunteer coordinators described a longstanding volunteer presence at Virgin Valley Elementary and said the departures of several longtime volunteers have led families, parents and staff to ask for an explanation. Why it matters: Speakers said the volunteers provided daily presence, mentorship and informal safety support at an elementary school; they argued removals damaged community trust and harmed programs that rely on volunteer support. Details: Former Chief McCoy Chesley recounted the 2019 creation of a volunteer program that placed retired officers and veterans near elementary students and said those volunteers ‘‘without a weapon would lay their lives on the line for those children.’’ Jeff Reynolds, a retired officer who said he carried a firearm in his car while volunteering, told the council he misses the children and called the terminations wrongful. Volunteer organizer Wes Bogaer said he was terminated as a police volunteer after speaking at a council meeting and urged the council to allow the school to use a SEAB grant to buy equipment (vests, cones) so volunteers could continue if the school opts to restart the program. Public claims and legal context: Several speakers alleged the terminations followed internal political or employment decisions; Ronald Shackleford referenced court filings and alleged wrongful‑termination lawsuits affecting the city and former employees. Wes Bogaer invoked the U.S. Constitution’s First and Fourteenth Amendments when describing what he called retaliation for speech; he referred to a lawsuit in Henderson, Amanda Swartz v. City of Henderson, as an example of related legal issues but did not link that case to actions by the Mesquite city government. Council action: No formal disciplinary or rehiring motion was brought before the council on Aug. 12. The comments were part of the final public‑comment block; speakers asked the council to review personnel decisions and consider the role of volunteers in school safety. What the record does not show: The meeting transcript contains public allegations of wrongful termination, retaliation and ethics concerns; it does not include personnel records, an official city explanation of individual employment actions, or council votes reversing any termination. Ending: Speakers asked for the council to examine whether volunteers can return and for transparency about personnel processes; the council did not act on employment claims during the Aug. 12 meeting.