The town council in Cohutta, a small north Georgia mountain community, called a special meeting Friday evening to discuss reinstating the police department after the mayor fired the chief and all officers. The notice for the meeting, posted outside the Cohutta Town Hall, also indicates the council will consider a request for the mayor's immediate resignation.
Police Department Dissolved
Earlier this week, a sign posted in the town of about 930 people announced that the police department had been dissolved per Mayor Ron Shinnick. It instructed residents needing help to call a non-emergency county number. The jobs of the chief and approximately 10 officers were terminated as of Wednesday morning. The exact reasons have not been shared publicly, and townspeople are hoping for answers at Friday's meeting.
Mayor's Actions and Allegations
Mayor Shinnick stated he took action because of comments officers posted on social media. Former Sgt. Jeremy May said the situation involved a complaint he and other officers raised about the mayor's wife, Pam Shinnick, who served as town clerk. May told WRCB-TV, "This all comes to personal vendetta from the mayor, and I wholeheartedly believe that. We took a stand for transparency, and in result, every one of them has lost their jobs."
Former Cohutta Police Chief Greg Fowler told WRCB that he could not comment in detail as officers were clearing out the police department and removing equipment this week. The mayor told the station he is not sure what will happen next. Phone calls and emails left Friday by The Associated Press for Shinnick and the town's attorney were not immediately returned.
Community Response
With no police officers working, the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office said in a brief statement that deputies will assist townspeople if needed. Cohutta, just south of the Tennessee line, is about 100 miles (161 kilometers) northwest of Atlanta. The council meeting is expected to address both the reinstatement of the police department and the mayor's future.
