The police chief in a New Hampshire town took it literally when he was stripped of his duties at a local board meeting, disrobing to his underwear and walking out into a snowstorm.
Richard Lee has been chief in the small town of Croydon for 20 years.
The three-member selectboard on Tuesday night voted to eliminate the one-man department and move to 100% coverage by the New Hampshire State Police.
Lee was told to turn in the key to his cruiser, his guns and his uniform — immediately. So, he went into an office and took off his clothes before the board chairman.
According to Valley News, once Lee began undressing the selectboard chairman told him to turn in his uniform on a later day, but Lee declined.
Lee was wearing only boots, briefs, a t-shirt and a gray baseball cap when he started the 7-mile walk home during a snowstorm, the New Hampshire Union Leader said. Lee said someone wound up calling his wife and he "probably made it about three quarters of a mile before she got there."
He explained that he had no other means of transportation, because his police cruiser was a take-home vehicle, and didn't have any spare clothes in the office, so he did as ordered.
Valley News noted there has been tensions between the selectboard and Lee in the past, including last year when they proposed dissolving the department, a plan that voters defeated.
Phone messages seeking comment were left with the selectboard.