An officer with a gun stops a vehicle from proceeding toward downtown Cold Spring around midnight Friday at a gas station on the corner of Red River Ave. and Minnesota Hwy. 23/St. Cloud Times Eric Stromgren
COLD SPRING, Minn. - The partner of slain Cold Spring police officer Tom Decker has resigned his position with the department.
Cold Spring's City Administrator Paul Hetland confirms the resignation of part time police officer Greg Reiter, who was on the scene when Decker was fatally shot the night of November 29 in an alley behind a Cold Spring bar.
Hetland tells KARE 11 that Reiter, who was a part-time officer for the department, submitted his resignation to the Cold Spring Police Department Jan 10th. He gave no reason for his resignation.
Questions have been asked about Reiter's response the night of the murder, his failure to leave his squad care and the lack of an accurate description of the suspect.
Cold Spring Police Chief Phil Jones told the St. Cloud Times that Reiter has returned to his other job as a drywaller, and says people jumped to conclusions without the facts. Jones said that didn't contribute to a healthy environment for Reiter.
Reiter had been on paid leave since the shooting.
The Chief called Reiter a great officer with no disciplinary record.
City administrator Hetland was even stronger and more emotional with his support of former officer Reiter, providing a statement he said was "from the heart."
"Greg Reiter was a good officer and is a good man," wrote Hetland. "He will be missed by all that knew him."
At this point no one has been charged with Decker's killing. One potential suspect was arrested but released, and another person of interest, Eric Thomes, committed suicide as investigators attempted to question him in the officer's death.
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