An all-day due process hearing on the termination of former Smithville police chief Friday resulted in a 3-2 vote to uphold Mayor Jimmy Poss' decision to fire Randy Caplinger. While testimony during the seven-hour hearing included accusations of bid rigging, interference in police business and confusion in the department, whether the vote is binding became the final concern. Attorneys from both sides called a plethora of witnesses to testify, and many, including Caplinger himself, opined that the former chief was being singled out for less wrongdoing than many employees at city hall and members of city government, and that there had been an ongoing effort to undermine his authority at the department.