Natchez — The Natchez Board of Aldermen has asked Natchez Police Chief Mike Mullins to retire effective Monday to give the city time to hire a new chief by January.

Ward 6 Alderman Dan Dillard said there is no use is dragging out the search for a new chief.

“In these kind of situations, the quicker the better,” he said. “We needed to go ahead and cut him loose.”

Dillard said Mullins’ retirement will give the city plenty of time to start looking for a new chief.

“It will give us time so we’re not in a rush,” he said. “When it lingers on, it doesn’t serve anyone’s interest.”

Mullins announced last month he would retire when the city hired a new chief or in June.

The aldermen met in executive session during Tuesday morning’s finance meeting to discuss Mullins’ retirement.

Mullins said Wednesday he did not know prior to the meeting that the board was going to ask him to retire.

“My plans were to stay until June, but the board wanted to go on and not wait until then, so I went ahead and agreed to do what they want,” he said.

Mullins said it was his understanding that the majority of the board wanted him to now retire.

Ward 5 Alderman Mark Fortenbery said he was unaware the board was going to be discussing Mullins’ retirement during the executive session at the meeting.

“I thought the deal was that he was going to stay until June,” he said. “I was for him to stay.”

Mayor Jake Middleton said the board wanted to go ahead and start looking for a new chief. He said the board hopes to have a new chief hired by January. The deadline for applications is tentatively set Nov. 30.

In the meantime, the board appointed Captain Danny White as interim police chief.

Middleton said White has the most seniority as a commander at the department and is a natural fit for interim chief.

White, who is on vacation this week, was unavailable for comment.

Mullins has been with the Natchez Police Department for 30 years and has served as chief for nine.