The Sandy Springs police chief, who resigned this month after an independent investigation revealed widespread violations of city policy within the department, received a severance package valued at $109,000.

The terms of a separation agreement, obtained from the city through the state's Open Records Act, indicate Gene Wilson received a lump sum of nine months of his base salary, less taxes, plus nine months of health benefits.

In addition, Wilson received nearly four weeks of pay for accrued vacation and sick time.

After withholding taxes the city issued a check to Wilson for $62,693, said Judy Parker, a city spokeswoman.

Wilson, 59, had served as the city's first police chief since December 2005. He was hired from MARTA, where he was police chief, and became one of the new city's first employees.

Wilson resigned his $129,779 position July 12, two days after an investigation report revealed he had accepted several gifts from a Sandy Springs businessman and ran a department that had officers leaving assigned posts to pick up off-duty jobs in traffic enforcement.

Although the investigation report determined Wilson did not violate city policy by accepting the two handguns and a rifle from Bruce Weiner, chairman of the nonprofit organization Friends of Sandy Springs, the investigator faulted Wilson for exercising poor judgment.

As police chief, Wilson did not work for the city under a contract. He served at the will of the city manager, John McDonough.

When asked whether he requested for the chief's resignation, McDonough last week said, "We certainly had conversations about some of the issues we were faced with."

In his resignation letter, Wilson acknowledged he had lost the confidence of the City Council and Mayor Eva Galambos.

The severance agreement, signed by Wilson and McDonough on July 12, requires the former chief not to sue the city or its private partner, CH2M Hill, or discuss the contents of the deal.

Wilson could not be reached this morning by telephone for comment. In a previous conversation, shortly before the city released the investigation findings, Wilson said he had done nothing wrong.

"As far as I'm concerned, I did not violate any department policy, rules or regulations," he said.