ANAMOSA, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa city council has fired its police chief who’d been accused of sending emails with racist and sexist comments. The Anamosa council voted Monday night to fire Chief Bob Simonson after first rejecting his offer to retire. The council plans to appoint a department sergeant to serve as interim chief. A former officer, Amy Ford, sued the city in 2015 for sexual harassment and gender discrimination. She settled it for $750,000.

Simonson has declined to comment about the allegations. He was hired by the city in May 2010.