GA Mayor Fires Entire Police Dept. Over Social Media Comments About Wife: Reports

COHUTTA, GA — City council members in a small Georgia town will consider reinstating officers after a mayor fired his entire police department over comments made about his wife, media reports say.

Council members plan to advocate for removal of Cohutta Mayor Ron Shinnick after he terminated all 10 officers of the Cohutta Police Department on Wednesday morning, WAGA-TV reported.

Shinnick said he took action because of some comments officers posted on social media. The now-former Sgt. Jeremy May said it involved a complaint that he and other officers had raised about the mayor's wife Pam Shinnick, who had served as the town clerk.

“This all comes to personal vendetta from the mayor, and I wholeheartedly believe that,” May told WRCB-TV. “We took a stand for transparency, and in result, every one of them has lost their jobs.”

A sign posted earlier this week in the town of about 930 people announced that the police department had been dissolved “per Mayor Ron Shinnick.” It told people who need help to call a non-emergency county number.

With no police officers working, the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office said in a brief statement that deputies will help the townspeople if they need it.

Authorities added response times would not be impacted.

“The citizens and the constituents of Cohutta are going to suffer in response because of the retaliation from the mayor, due to the fact that we brought to light about his spouse still working after she was terminated," May told WRCB-TV. "This all comes to personal vendetta from the mayor, and I wholeheartedly believe that."

The special-called meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Friday.

The Associated Press contributed reporting and writing.