An Iowa fire chief who was terminated in March and sued for wrongful termination in April, has been reinstated. The City of Mitchellville, Iowa terminated Fire Chief Mike Twohey following concerns raised by Mayor Tony Jensen regarding his leadership within the department.

The mayor stated publicly that the dismissal was based on “leadership and conduct concerns,” describing the matter as an internal personnel issue rather than any criminal investigation. Specifically, the mayor cited the chief’s failure to address conduct “that included harassment and defamatory statements directed toward citizens and elected officials.” The chief sought a public hearing on his dismissal, but that request was denied.

The firing quickly became controversial within the community and among members of the Mitchellville Fire Department. Supporters of Chief Twohey questioned the city’s handling of the matter and criticized what they viewed as a lack of transparency concerning the reasons for the termination. Public discussion reportedly centered on disagreements involving department operations, leadership, and communication within city government.

On April 13, 2026, Chief Twohey filed suit against the City of Mitchellville in Polk County Circuit Court. According to reporting by KCCI, the lawsuit alleged that the city wrongfully terminated him and damaged his reputation through statements made about the reasons for his dismissal. Public reporting also indicates that the suit alleged violations of his rights in connection with the termination process. A copy of the complaint is not available as of this posting.

In May 2026, the city reversed course and reinstated Chief Twohey as fire chief. Public reporting does not indicate whether the pending lawsuit had been resolved as part of the reinstatement. Court records show that the case remains open as of May 20, 2026.