HILLSBORO — Hillsboro Police Chief Todd Whited resigned Monday, writing that his resignation would be effective Friday and adding, “I can no longer in good conscious (sic) work with the mayor.”

In a separate email to city council members, Whited blasted Mayor Drew Hastings on the issues that comprised the charges on which the mayor was acquitted at his recent trial, criticized the firing of Todd Wilkin as safety and service director, linked Hastings to a former county tourism official who has been indicted on child pornography charges, ripped a plan to tear down a building to create more parking, and criticized city council for allowing “Drew to commit his acts of malfeasance.”

Hastings said Monday that Whited’s resignation was not a surprise.

“Chief Whited made it clear a year ago that he wanted to force me out of office,” said Hastings. “When the civil case that he started against me was dismissed, and after I was acquitted at trial, I guess he realized his personal crusade against me had failed. I wish him the best.”

Hastings was referring to Whited’s testimony at trial, when the chief acknowledged that he had asked Law Director Fred Beery in December 2015 how to remove the mayor from office.

At the time, Beery did not identify Whited as the person who asked the question, saying only that it came from “the law enforcement community.”

Beery said at the time that he explained that a civil case charging malfeasance could be filed against the mayor by residents of Hillsboro, and a short time later such a case was filed based on a $500 vacant property rebate the mayor had received. The case was dismissed by Judge Kevin Greer because of an Ohio Supreme Court precedent based on when the alleged act occurred.

At the time, Whited wrote a letter dated Dec. 16, 2015, outlining allegations of Hastings using the city dumpster and receiving the $500 rebate. The letter, addressed “To Whom It May Concern,” concluded, “I believe that it would be detrimental to any investigation of criminal activities if the mayor stays in office.”

In his resignation Monday, Whited wrote, “It is truly sad that he does not have the integrity to understand that what he did was wrong. We as law enforcement must report wrongdoing and investigate such. We were doing our job. In fact we should not have been put in such a position to have to investigate our own boss.”

But Whited testified at Hastings’ trial that he turned the investigation over to the Highland County Sheriff’s Office last December because it would have been a conflict of interest for HPD to conduct the investigation. However, investigative notes kept by sheriff detectives indicate that HPD continued to carry out its own investigation.

After a seven-month investigation, a grand jury eventually indicted Hastings on four felony charges. At trial, charges related to the dumpster use and the $500 refund were dismissed after Judge Patricia Ann Cosgrove ruled that the state had not offered enough evidence to go to a jury. The jury acquitted Hastings on the remaining charges, one related to his residency, and another also related to the dumpster use.

Hastings said Monday, “It was obvious that this had become very personal for Chief Whited, and it’s not good when a police investigation is carried out for personal reasons.”

Whited did not return a message seeking comment Monday.

In his email to council members on Monday, Whited blasted Hastings and others on several points, writing, “Is it appropriate to have someone who forged a document and admitted to it as the records clerk for city council?” There was no finding at trial that a document had been forged.

Whited was appointed by Hastings as police chief in February 2014 after serving as interim chief since the previous November, after the retirement of longtime chief Nick Thompson. At the time, Whited had 15 years of law enforcement experience, the previous eight with the Hillsboro Police Department and seven before that with the Highland County Sheriff’s Office.

Whited concluded his letter of resignation by saying, “In closing I want to thank the community for the opportunity to serve you for the last 18 years.”

Hastings said Monday that he would appoint an interim chief, and said HPD would “continue to deliver the level of service Hillsboro residents have come to expect.”

Reach Gary Abernathy at 937-393-3456 or on Twitter @abernathygary.