Lawrenceville Police Chief Steps Down During Sexual Harassment Investigation

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — A new acting police chief has been named for the Lawrenceville Police Department after the current chief was suspended following accusations of sexual harassment, reported WSB-TV.

Chief Tim Wallis will retire and Maj. Myron Walker will take over. An investigation was started last October.

According to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Wallis, 54, was cited in a report for sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment. He was suspended for 10 days without pay. City Manager Chuck Warbington accused Wallis in a letter of retaliating against an assistant for talking to the investigator.

Wallis is accused in the report of making sexist remarks to a female officer, who secretly recorded their conversation, reported the AJC.

“You walk around here looking like a Hooters girl when the air conditioner’s not working,” Wallis says, according to the report. “Are you working here or are you working at Hooters? Go get you some orange shorts on.”

Police employees were notified by email Tuesday about Wallis’ retirement, reported WAGA-TV.

His career with the department started in 1996 and he became police chief in March 2018. He made history in Lawrenceville by appointing the city’s first Black member of the police command staff and later the department’s first female captain, reported WAGA-TV.