Longtime Mt. Carmel Police Chief John Lockhart announced his retirement at last night’s city council meeting. Lockhart has been battling cancer the last several years and during his announcement last night, he said the time had come for him to step aside…. 

Lockhart said he is leaving the MCPD in good shape…

 Mayor Bill Hudson said he had consulted with commissioner Joe Judge who is running against Hudson in next week’s election and the two concurred that Detective Sgt. Ryan Turner would be named interim chief while Sgt. Mike McWilliams will take over for Turner as detective. Lockhart’s retirement won’t be official until sometime this summer as he uses accumulated vacation and sick time, but his last day on the job will be this Friday.