Small Georgia town left in limbo after mayor fires entire police department
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- The Cohutta town council in Georgia called a special meeting to discuss reinstating the police department after Mayor Ron Shinnick fired the chief and all officers, and to consider a request for the mayor’s immediate resignation.
- The police department, consisting of about 10 officers including Chief Greg Fowler, was dissolved on Wednesday, with residents seeking answers at the Friday meeting; no official reasons have been publicly disclosed.
- Mayor Shinnick cited officers' social media comments as the reason for their termination, while former sergeant Jeremy May claimed the firings were a personal vendetta linked to a complaint about the mayor’s wife, who had been the town clerk.
- With no local police force, the Whitfield County sheriff’s office stated deputies will assist Cohutta residents as needed; the town has a population of around 930 and is located near the Tennessee border, northwest of Atlanta.
- Attempts by the Associated Press to contact Mayor Shinnick and the town attorney for further comment were unsuccessful.
