Sunriver police chief accused of striking officer resigns

SUNRIVER, Ore. – Sunriver Police Chief Marc Mills resigned Friday amid allegations that he struck a subordinate while on duty.

“Chief Marc Mills is a good police officer,” said Jim Fister, chair of the Sunriver Service District, which announced the move. “One of his most recognized sayings is that the rules apply to everyone, equally, and I greatly respect that Marc recognizes this in making his decision.”

Mills, 62, was charged with misdemeanor harassment last month and is scheduled to enter a guilty or no contest plea March 1, court records show. Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel said the chief struck a police sergeant in December during a work-related dispute.

The service district said other employees have since complained about the chief’s “outbursts of temper.”

The district plans to appoint an interim chief next week.

Mills had been chief of police in the Central Oregon resort community since 2012. He previously spent many years with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.

Mills was not immediately available for comment. His civil attorney Christopher Manfredi, told the Bulletin newspaper that Mills is proud of the work he accomplished and has no animosity toward the service district.

“This is not how he would have preferred to have his tenure end,” Manfredi said.

Mills received an annual salary of $105,882. From his years with the sheriff’s office he collects an annual pension benefit of roughly $138,000 from the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System, the Bulletin reported.