The fight for power continues to rage at the police department in a small town north of Birmingham, where the mayor has suspended the police chief — again.

It’s the third time in nine months that Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton has suspended Chief Wendell Major, stripping him of his law enforcement authority in the city of 6,000 people.

In a tersely worded statement announcing the suspension today, the mayor accused the chief of professional misconduct. Newton alleged that Major had downgraded serious offenses, including homicides, and solicited outside work as an attorney. Both Major and Newton are lawyers.

“As Mayor, my number one priority is the safety and well-being of our community,” Newton said in the statement. “That responsibility entails ensuring the highest standards of ethical conduct and effective leadership within our police department. Unfortunately, Chief Major’s recent actions have fallen far short of these expectations.”

Major told AL.com Thursday that he will appeal the suspension.

“I’m not getting into a back and forth with the mayor about anything,” he said. “We are going to follow the law and stick with it like we always do.”

Major is suspended without pay. Newton announced this latest suspension just days after the Jefferson County Personnel Board notified the city that Major’s previous suspension period had ended.

The mayor accused Major of downgrading and closing serious cases to manipulate crime statistics to improve the city’s violent crime numbers.

As an example, Newton cited the overdose death of 2-year-old Ariyah Crawford last summer, a case in which it took four months for a suspect to be charged with reckless manslaughter.

The case was a point of contention between Newton and Major. The mayor has pointed out that Crawford’s mother wasn’t arrested until after he suspended the chief for a second time and then an acting chief took over the investigation. 

In another case, Newton accused Major of downgrading murder and arson charges. The mayor said Birmingham police and the district attorney also took over that case.

“He is asserting that he knows how to police better than I do,” Major told AL.com on Thursday. “I wouldn’t know his experience in it. All I put up is my resume as to my reputation and my experience in law enforcement.”

Newton also alleged that the chief attempted to get Tarrant police officers to solicit personal injury clients on behalf of a local law firm by giving the business cards to officers to pass out to the public.

Newton said he will ask the city council for an investigation.

While the council has previously overruled the mayor and returned the chief to work, Councilwoman and Mayor Pro-Tem Tracie Threadford said she welcomed an examination of the allegations.

“Before I pass any judgment I will wait until I see all the information of the investigation,” Threadford told AL.com.

Council members were previously united in supporting the chief, unanimously reversing the previous suspensions. Major is a popular figure whose supporters have attended council meetings demanding his reinstatement. Council members and citizens have previously roasted Newton, accusing him of creating a conspiracy to get rid of the police chief over a grudge.