CORDOVA, Ala. — Cordova’s police chief abruptly resigned Monday amid public outrage and an administrative probe following the release of a video showing him sexually harassing an 18-year-old dispatcher at the city’s police department.
Jason Hare, who had held the post for less than four months after transferring from the Walker County Sheriff’s Office, stepped down as video footage circulated of him touching and roughly handling the young employee at her desk. The clip, recorded in August but made public earlier this month, shows Hare stroking the dispatcher’s hair, grabbing her head to pull her toward him, and at one point making what appeared to be a choking gesture despite her visible discomfort and efforts to push him away.
The woman said she feared retaliation and initially kept silent until another employee who viewed the video reported the incident. The city quickly launched an administrative investigation but classified the matter as non-criminal, according to Cordova Mayor Jeremy Pate, who acknowledged the resignation without commenting on ongoing personnel matters.
The city has faced challenges including economic decline and tornado damage in recent years but retains a strong local identity with historic buildings like the Gilchrist House and the founder’s Long Mansion. Police leadership in Cordova has now entered a period of uncertainty with interim chief Harold Cox stepping in after Hare’s departure.
The scandal casts a harsh spotlight on Cordova’s law enforcement leadership and workplace environment, with community members awaiting further steps to ensure safety and accountability within a department serving a small but tight-knit population.
Jason Hare’s resignation punctuates a dramatic fall from grace for a chief whose tenure was sharply curtailed by allegations that have shaken this quiet Alabama town.