LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Former Henderson Police Chief has announced her run for Henderson’s next mayor on Thursday.
It is the same city she was fired from back in March, after she was put on a three week administrative leave in February.
In a sit down interview with FOX5 Thursday, she said the city did not communicate with her about the firing.
“I learned of it from the news,” Chadwick said.
Chadwick tells FOX5 she wants to move forward and does not have any hate in her heart for those who stripped her of the badge she wore for 22 years.
“I served this community for 22 years and I am grateful for every opportunity I had. Now, I am grateful to move forward,” Chadwick said.
Chadwick is moving forward straight to the mayor’s seat.
Current mayor Michelle Romero was once thrilled to have Chadwick as the police department’s top cop.
“I’m excited to see you in this position,” Romero said in 2023 during Chadwick’s swearing in ceremony for chief.
Less than two years later, Chadwick would be stripped of her badge and title.
FOX5 has been told numerous times the decision to fire Chadwick came from city manager Stephanie Garcia-Vause. However, Chadwick tells FOX5 she believes input came from the mayor regarding her firing.
“I have been with the city for 22 years. I know how they operate and nothing happens without the mayor’s approval,” Chadwick said.
Chadwick said her run for mayor is nothing personal.
“I’m very sincere. Anyone who knows me knows there isn’t a hidden agenda. There never has been. Anyone who knows me my whole lif,e they know I’m not somebody who will carry a grudge. Again this life is too short. I’m not going to carry hate in my heart,” Chadwick said.
Back in April, Garcia-Vause refused to answer any of our questions related to Chadwick’s firing.
“I don’t comment on any personnel matters,” Garcia-Vause said.
On Thursday, Chadwick gave FOX5 an insight on how the firing went down because it matters to her.
Chadwick said she did not sign a non-disclosure agreement nor take the settlement money the city had offered her.
“That’s not who I am. First of all, I did nothing wrong. There is no reason I should sign an NDA. Also I don’t want additional compensation from them, that’s not who I am. I wanted everything I earned and nothing more. I certainly was not going to be silenced when I did nothing wrong ,so therefore I just didn’t do it,” Chadwick said.
When asked, if she thought the city was trying to buy her silence, Chadwick said she has seen a similar pattern unfold.
Chadwick also tells FOX5 her firing was not justified. However, in a memo sent in March, city manager Stephanie Garcia-Vause stated, “It was clear to me that our vision and leadership styles were not aligned.”
When reading that statement to Chadwick Thursday, she disagreed.
“That is a confusing statement because again, crime was down and productivity was up. The community was happy. We were making great strides to have a strong succession plan. So again, to make that statement, it seems very short sighted,” Chadwick said.
For now Chadwick moves on from her badge to the ballot box next year.
FOX5’s Victoria Saha: As mayor, what would you do differently than our current mayor who is also running against you?
Chadwick: First, you need to build a team and have cohesiveness. You can agree to disagree, you cannot really like each other, but you should still work together and function as a team- the mayor and city council. The biggest thing is you have to unite everyone and bring them together and understand the team mentality.
Saha: When you talk about being united, that’s not what we have really been seeing in the Henderson City Council meetings, especially after your departure. There was a clear division. How do you respond to that ? How do you think it should be handled?
Chadwick: Again moving forward, you have to sit down and have honest conversations with each other. I don’t know if that’s happening behind the scenes and you see it play out in public. Again, you can agree to disagree and be respectful. Now, it feels like a little chaotic.
Saha: If elected mayor, how do you see yourself working with the city manager who had a hand in your firing?
Chadwick: Just fine. I’m one of those that everything is in the past and we move forward. Having said that, that’s a year and half from now. I don’t even know what that city manager will look like.
Saha: So it is not everyday we see someone run for mayor for a city they were fired from, is this your way of fixing what may have gone wrong? Or are you trying to send a strong message to those who pushed you out a few months ago?
Chadwick: None of that. Again, life is too short. I don’t have hate in my heart. I don’t want to carry hate with me. Taking on this challenge, I don’t take it lightly because I know I will be out in the media and I will have character assassinations and have false narratives against me. Now, I can speak on my behalf and speak the truth. Again, when I look back at being a public servant for what I want to do next, all I want to do is service. How do I continue to serve the community? This is the next step- to be mayor.
As of Thursday, Chadwick’s only opponent is current mayor Michelle Romero who is running for mayor again.
FOX5 reached out to Romero’s campaign about Chadwick’s claims that she had an input on her firing. Her campaign did not respond to questions about that, instead responding to Chadwick running for mayor.
Mayor Romero’s full statement is below:
I am extremely proud of the progress we have made in making Henderson not just the best city in Nevada, but as a recent Baldridge Award recipient, a nationally recognized top city in America.
Under my leadership, we have improved public safety for our residents and businesses, expanded school choice for parents and students, increased healthcare accessibility and services for our veterans, added protections for our rural neighborhoods and public spaces, expanded services for our most vulnerable populations, and have made the City of Henderson the most transparent governing body in Nevada.
These are precisely the issues I campaigned on three years ago, when 75 percent of Henderson residents placed their trust in me. No matter who joins this race, my commitment to serving as Mayor, and leading our city into the future will not be deterred.
Have a tip? You can reach reporter Victoria Saha at [email protected]
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