Oak Ridge North names interim chief of police following dismissal of Police Chief Ken Foulch

The city of Oak Ridge North has named Lt. Marcus Teske the interim chief of police as of Jan. 27, following the dismissal of Police Chief Ken Foulch at City Council's Jan. 26 meeting.

What to know

Teske brings more than 20 years of service with the city of Oak Ridge North Police Department, having served in multiple leadership and operational roles throughout his career, according to the city.

“The City of Oak Ridge North remains committed to community-oriented policing and to maintaining strong, positive relationships with residents, businesses and neighborhood partners,” city officials said in a statement

How we got here

Foulch became police chief in July following the retirement of former Police Chief Tom Libby, as previously reported by Community Impact. Foulch was previously a lieutenant with the Huntsville Police Department.

On April 14, City Manager Heather Neeley had presented the proposal to terminate Libby, following the loss of 19 police officers from the department since 2020, citing concerns about the work environment training, as previously reported by Community Impact.

Information about the hiring process and timeline for the new chief was not immediately available from the city.