The mayor of a small Georgia town has dismissed his entire police force following a dispute involving his wife. Ron Shinnick, the mayor of Cohutta, shut down the Cohutta Police Department and terminated all 10 of its employees earlier this week after officers allegedly made inappropriate remarks about his spouse on social media, according to reports from WDEF.
Police Department Closed
A notice posted on the department's door on Wednesday morning read: "The PD has been dissolved, and all personnel have been terminated." When questioned about the controversy, Shinnick stated, "They'll get a paycheck. We're not that way, and I appreciate their service, okay? It is time for a change."
Background of the Conflict
According to the New York Post, tensions escalated late last month after several officers filed formal complaints alleging that Pam Shinnick, the mayor's wife and former town clerk, continued working for the town despite being fired. She was terminated the previous year for allegedly creating a hostile work environment in the town of fewer than 1,000 residents. However, she reportedly still had access to personal and classified information.
In response to the complaints, the mayor held a joint press conference with Police Chief Greg Fowler and town attorney Brian Rayburn, claiming the dispute had been resolved through open dialogue and good-faith mediation. Yet, approximately one week later, the entire police force was dismissed.
Officers React
One of the terminated officers, Sergeant Jeremy May, expressed his belief that the firings stemmed from a personal vendetta. "This all comes to personal vendetta from the mayor — and I wholeheartedly believe that," he said. May noted that they had been assured their jobs were safe after filing complaints about the mayor's wife. "Official response from the town attorney: Nobody's jobs are in jeopardy. Here we are, less than a week later, nobody has a job." He added, "We took a stand for transparency, and in result, every one of them has lost their jobs."
Mayor's Defense
The mayor attributed the conflict to inappropriate comments posted on Facebook by the officers. He has ordered the fired officers to return all department equipment. Meanwhile, the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office will assume policing duties for the small town.
