A mountain community in northern Georgia has found itself without law enforcement after its mayor dissolved the police force this week, triggering an emergency town council meeting and calls for his removal from office.
The mayor of Cohutta, Ron Shinnick, terminated the police chief and roughly 10 officers effective Wednesday morning. The action left the town of about 930 residents scrambling for answers and relying on county deputies for emergency response.
Shinnick attributed the firings to social media posts by officers, according to statements to local media. Former sergeant Jeremy May told WRCB-TV that the officers had filed a complaint involving Pam Shinnick, the mayor's wife, who worked as the town clerk. May characterized the terminations as retaliation.
"This all comes to personal vendetta from the mayor, and I wholeheartedly believe that," May said. "We took a stand for transparency, and in result, every one of them has lost their jobs."
The town council scheduled a special meeting for Friday evening to address the crisis. Posted notices indicated the council would consider both reinstating the police department and a separate request for the mayor's immediate resignation. Shinnick told the media he was uncertain about next steps.
Chief Greg Fowler declined to comment as officers cleared out the police building and removed equipment. The mayor and the town's attorney did not respond to requests for comment Friday.
Residents discovered the dissolution through signs posted around town announcing that the department had been dissolved "per mayor Ron Shinnick" and directing people needing help to contact the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line. The Whitfield County Sheriff's Office confirmed deputies would assist Cohutta residents as needed.
Cohutta is situated just south of the Tennessee border, roughly 100 miles northwest of Atlanta.
Author James Rodriguez: "A mayor wiping out an entire police force over grievances with his wife's former job is almost too much for a town of 930 to absorb, and Friday's meeting had better deliver some real answers fast."
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