“It’s been a great ride,” but it’s over for longtime Mandeville Police Chief Tom Buell.

After braving hostile criticism for several months, the 30-year law enforcement veteran announced his retirement at Thursday night’s City Council meeting, although he’s not leaving empty-handed.

The council passed a resolution supporting a $40,000 payment, nearly half of his current $95,000 salary, as part of his retirement.

Police Chief Tom Buell

“He has a package that he leaves with that includes vacation pay, sick leave and all those things that were added in to it,” Mayor Eddie Price said.

No other information on the payout was available.

Buell’s decision comes after a tumultuous 2008 when an investigation by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s office revealed the chief used thousands of dollars of donated money to buy Price and other city employees Christmas gifts.

The Citizen Service Fund, founded and run by Buell for many years, was the initial source of the auditor’s investigations after they received a tip of unscrupulous dealings with the charitable organization.

The report states from 2002 to 2007, monetary donations to the charity totaled $217,938. Of those donations, only 28 percent, $56,773, was used to support activities such as the toy program, according to the report. Expenditures totaling $146,329 were made “for gifts, food, celebrations and sponsorships.”

Buell and his attorney, Richard Greenland, refused Thursday to comment on the auditor’s findings, which are currently the subject of federal and state criminal investigations.

The statement Buell released did not list a reason for his retirement. It did, however, state he will remain active as chief until Jan. 2, 2009.

“Retirement will allow me time with my family and a hobby I truly enjoy, the American Quarter Horses,” he said.

Buell said during his remaining months as chief he hopes to finish updating the department’s employee manual.

Buell recently re-implemented the department’s community policing program, which was active before Katrina. But as of late, Buell said, the department strayed from the more accepted policing method.

“My true hope for the future of the police department is that the new administration continues to work on our new community policing project and strive to help the police working with our citizens, and not become a total urban police department as some would desire,” Buell said in the statement.

“I’ll miss it,” Buell said after reading the statement.

The council, administration and audience members gave Buell a standing ovation after he made his statement. Council members and Price gave Buell teary-eyed praise for his tenure.

The mayor is in charge of appointing the next police chief, but Price said he’s only just begun to contemplate who the interim chief will be.

“After we appoint the interim chief, we’ll then do an executive search on a semi-national level for a new chief,” Price said, adding he’ll focus on the southern states first for the next chief. “It’s got to be somebody who knows the components of a small police department,” Price said.