Thread: West Georgia police chief suspended after visit with Ariz. sheriff (update)

West Georgia police chief suspended after visit with Ariz. sheriff

Associated Press – updated Wednesday, September 11, 2013 - 11:03pm

GRANTVILLE, Ga. — The police chief in a west Georgia town has been suspended for a week without pay after he was criticized for not letting city officials know about a trip he made to Arizona to meet with Joe Arpaio, the sheriff in Maricopa County, Ariz.
Arpaio is widely known for his tough-on-crime initiatives and unusual jail rules.
Grantville Police Chief Doug Jordan met with the Arizona sheriff and then expressed his hopes to establish Grantville's own drug team, The Newnan Times-Herald reported (http://bit.ly/14FajPr ).
City Manager Johnny Williams said Jordan violated a policy of informing him of anything that's not routine.
"I require all my employees to inform me of anything that is not routine in nature," Williams said. "A trip to Arizona and an article in the paper that was not discussed with me or the police committee is not routine."
The city council voted 2-1 to suspend Jordan.
Grantville Mayor Jim Sells, who was on vacation and not at the council meeting, said later that he's appalled at the action, and fully supports the police chief.
"I am appalled at the council's decision to suspend our police chief without pay," the mayor said in a statement to the Newnan newspaper.
"Chief Jordan has my full support," the mayor added. "He has the support of his staff and the community because of the job he is doing. At the next council meeting, with the full council present, I will ask to have his lost pay restored."

Can someone locate us the contact info for this town council?

W

From:
Rebecca Campbell · Tonypandy comprehensiveCHANGE IS NOW PEOPLE
Meet two new people running for GrantvilleCity council this Saturday @9.30am out side Dlar General Grantville.
It starts with you.(Georgia)

Map of Grantville.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Grant...ed=0CAoQ_AUoAg

Mayor and Council Message from the Mayor Thank you for choosing the City of Grantville. I have always believed in the power of government to benefit the common good and help people improve their lives. As a resident of Grantville, I am honored to be your Mayor. One of the best things about our city is that residents are actively engaged in our communities. Your input is invaluable to my administration as we work to help Grantville grow.-Jim Sells Mayor Jim Sells e-mail the mayor City Council Councilmember Barham Lundy Streets and Public Works Committee Chairperson e-mail Mr.Lundy Councilperson Johnny Cooks Police Committee Chairperson e-mail Mr. Cooks Councilperson Selma Coty Utility Committee Chairperson e-mail Ms. Coty Councilperson Rochelle Jabaley Administrative Committee Chairperson e-mail Ms. Jabaley

123 LaGrange Street - Grantville, GA 30220 - 770-583-2289

From Joe Arpaio's facebook.
This is incredible! The Grantville, Georgia police chief who came to visit me a few weeks ago has been suspended for doing so! I support Chief Doug Jordan 100%! He should be rewarded for coming here and asking great questions to help him do his job! Read story here...http://www.times-herald.com/local/20...ed-without-pay






Grantville Police Chief Suspended

by CELIA SHORTT

• Wednesday, September 11, 2013
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Comments

Grantville Police Chief Doug Jordan was suspended without pay for one calendar week at Monday’s city council meeting. The reason for Jordan’s suspension was that he violated a policy given by City Manager Johnny Williams.
“I require all my employees to inform me of anything that is not routine in nature,” Williams said. “A trip to Arizona and an article in the paper that was not discussed with me or the police committee is not routine.”
Recently, Jordan traveled to Arizona to meet with “America’s Toughest Sheriff, Joe Arpaio.” Following their meeting, Jordan expressed his hopes to establish Grantville’s own drug team. He also planned to have some of his officers travel to Arizona for training.
During his comments at the council meeting, Council member Johnny Cooks shared his lack of support for Jordan’s actions and plans.
“I was not very pleased by it,” he said. “I was not in support of it. I am not in support of this kind of news by police officers representing the Grantville uniform without the council or city manager’s approval. His representation here and implications of things we are going to be doing in our community is not something that we were aware of.”
“It ain’t going to happen,” he added. “This story ain’t going to happen if I got anything to do with it.”
Following a closed session to discuss personnel at the end of the meeting, the city council voted 2-1 to suspend the police chief for a calendar week without pay.
Mayor Jim Sells is on vacation and was not at the meeting. Selma Coty served as Mayor Pro-Tem and in that role could only vote in case of a tie.
“There was a quorum,” said Coty. “Mr. Cooks and Mr. Lundy voted in favor of the recommendation. Mrs. Jabaley voted against the recommendation. If I had not been in the chair, I, too, would have voted against the recommendation.”
Despite not being at the city council meeting, Mayor Sells gave his opinion about the suspension.
“I am appalled at the council's decision to suspend our police chief without pay,” he said in an email.
“I believe Councilmen Cooks and Lundy have put their personal agenda ahead of the citizens’ best interest in Grantville. They have taken advantage of my absence on vacation and are abusing a dedicated city employee. Chief Jordan has my full support. He has the support of his staff and the community because of the job he is doing. At the next council meeting, with the full council present, I will ask to have his lost pay restored."
Chief Jordan will return to the office on Tuesday.
“I hope that’s the end of it,” said Williams. “He is an excellent chief. We all make mistakes. You make mistakes and learn from the consequences. I expect to see him next week back in the office.”
Sergeant William Baker will serve as Interim Chief of Police.

http://www.times-herald.com/local/20...ed-without-pay

So you have a picture in your mind.

Grantville Mayor Jim Sells makes a point during Monday's city council meeting. Also pictured are, from left, Johnny Cooks, Rochelle Jabaley and Selma Coty.Bartram Lundy (left) and Jim Sells

---

By ALEX MCRAE
alex@newnan.com
Coweta Magistrate Joseph Wyant ruled Friday no warrant will be issued against Grantville City Councilman Bartram Lundy, who had been accused of disorderly conduct by Grantville Mayor Jim Sells following a dispute at an Oct. 15 meeting of the Grantville City Council.
http://www.times-herald.com/Local/20...undy_Sells-MOS

This is amazing ....But wait... when the police officers who discharge their weapons get off for a review of the incident they get it with full pay!!!!! Makes sense to me!!! Hats off to Grantville Police Chief Doug Jordan. Time to fire the City Council for a job not well done!!!!!

Originally Posted by Rhah

West Georgia police chief suspended after visit with Ariz. sheriff

Associated Press – updated Wednesday, September 11, 2013 - 11:03pm


GRANTVILLE, Ga. — The police chief in a west Georgia town has been suspended for a week without pay after he was criticized for not letting city officials know about a trip he made to Arizona to meet with Joe Arpaio, the sheriff in Maricopa County, Ariz.
Arpaio is widely known for his tough-on-crime initiatives and unusual jail rules.
Grantville Police Chief Doug Jordan met with the Arizona sheriff and then expressed his hopes to establish Grantville's own drug team, The Newnan Times-Herald reported (http://bit.ly/14FajPr ).
City Manager Johnny Williams said Jordan violated a policy of informing him of anything that's not routine.
"I require all my employees to inform me of anything that is not routine in nature," Williams said. "A trip to Arizona and an article in the paper that was not discussed with me or the police committee is not routine."
The city council voted 2-1 to suspend Jordan.
Grantville Mayor Jim Sells, who was on vacation and not at the council meeting, said later that he's appalled at the action, and fully supports the police chief.
"I am appalled at the council's decision to suspend our police chief without pay," the mayor said in a statement to the Newnan newspaper.
"Chief Jordan has my full support," the mayor added. "He has the support of his staff and the community because of the job he is doing. At the next council meeting, with the full council present, I will ask to have his lost pay restored."

VICTORY: Police Chief Punished for Visiting Sheriff Joe Has Suspension Reversed, Pay Restored

By John Hill on November 2, 2013



The police chief who was suspended just for visiting Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio will get his money back.

Grantville, GA Chief Doug Jordan was suspended for a week without pay when his bosses learned that he’d spent time with the “controversial” Maricopa County Sheriff during his vacation in Arizona, as we reported.

But after Sheriff Joe ignited national outrage against the board members who suspended him, the Grantville City Council voted on Monday to rescind the suspension of Chief Doug Jordan and pay him for the time he missed.

The City Council said that Jordan was supposed to inform city leaders about the meeting with the man called the “Toughest Sheriff in America.” Arpaio is known for his strong stance on illegal immigration and drugs. Two underhanded Democrat council members took advantage of the absence of the mayor and two other members to sneak in the suspension.

Members of the Fraternal Order of Police were among those who packed Monday’s City Council meeting to voice opposition to Jordan’s suspension.

“When I’m on vacation, I am free to associate with whoever I want to unless it’s a hate group,” said Randy Robertson of the Fraternal Order of Police. “If somebody’s out there doing something and associating with whoever they want to, I hate to tell you this, but it’s none of your business.”

Grantville Mayor Jim Sells, who opposed the suspension, said the he received hundreds of emails from people across the country criticizing the council’s actions. In an interview with Stand With Arizona, Grantville confirmed that dozens of those emails mentioned SWA’s original story as the reason for their emails.

Sheriff Joe has weighed in on the controversy. He posted FOX 5′s story on his Facebook page. Jordan returned to duty last week. The suspension will be removed from his record and he will be paid for the time he missed.

“I’m ecstatic about it. I’m glad it happened, of course,” Jordan said. “Hopefully, it is over. We will start enforcing our laws like we talked about: harder and tougher. That is what we’re going to do. Jordan said that while it’s been a difficult couple of weeks for his family, he has been overwhelmed by the number of supportive emails. He said he’s gotten more than 300 emails.

Jordan said he was stunned that he was suspended, regardless of the political bias of the two councilmen who orchestrated it. He also thanked Sheriff Joe for his help:

“I was very shocked. Who in the world would want to punish law enforcement for doing their job? Wanting to better the community?” said Chief Jordan. “Sheriff Joe is of course known as the toughest sheriff in the country, he’s all about law enforcement. He’s a legend.”

http://standwitharizona.com/blog/201...-pay-restored/