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According to a lohud report, Capt. Edward Ardino, the former executive officer of the department and Lt. Daniel Fisher have been reassigned to the patrol division, with Capt. Roy Hastings being named to Ardino's former post.
The changes come less than three weeks after the fatal New Year’s Eve fatal shooting and three days after the arrest of 21-year-old David Hardy, who is facing a murder charge for his role in the incident.
Hardy was charged with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon on Tuesday following a lengthy investigation into the shooting that took McKenzie’s life when she was a passenger in a car that was driving near the intersection of Chestnut Place and 3rd Street.
According to Mayor Richard Thomas, Hardy was a seasonal employee for the city, and his position was terminated in December after he failed to show up for his assignment. He was hired by a former administrator, who is no longer working for the city. At the time, Thomas said his administration was planning to implement new policies and procedures with the City Council to "ensure that each and every employee and future employee of our city is properly vetted."
"The city of Mount Vernon expects each and every one of the employees in government to uphold the highest standard of ethics, accountability and respect for the life of every person in Mount Vernon," he said in a statement. "The Thomas Administration is requiring background checks, drug testing, and training classes – when appropriate - for all employees."
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