Outgoing Piedmont Police Chief Freddie Norton provided more details late Wednesday afternoon about his sudden retirement announcement on Tuesday.

On his personal Facebook page, Norton posted that he wanted to end any rumors about leaving after 26-plus years as a Piedmont police officer, with the last 6 1/2 of those years as police chief.

In his Facebook post, Norton said Tuesday morning he was called to the city administration office and was told he had two options regarding his position: retire or be voted out of office.

When Norton asked why, he said he was told council members had received six complaint letters from police department employees.

Norton said he was not shown those letters.

Norton said the complaints included him being mean to employees, some officers did not have tasers, newly-ordered police cars by the city were not on the road, officers were not allowed to go into houses to make drug arrests, and the department did not have a K-9.

“I had no clue, warnings, or anyone even try to talk to me about it from the mayor or council,” Norton said.

Norton said he would have accepted a statement from the council choosing to go in a different direction, but “that isn’t what we got.”

Norton closed out his post saying he loves the Piedmont Police Department and its employees, and that he will miss being police chief.

More information can be found on Norton’s Facebook page.