Chief and Asst. Chief at Hiram Police Department resign

[katt_138]

wow just wow

[LisaC]

One of two things happened here...

 

1- They were given an opportunity to resign instead being fired and having their POST certifications investigated.

2- They saw the writing on the wall and resigned before word got out about something that would jeopardize their careers.

 

I do not have any inside information, but when two higher ranking law enforcement officers resign at the same time then one of the above situations has happened.

Actually, you left out one more situation - the possibility that the Police Chief was offered a job with another police force and asked the Lt. to join him.

 

I don't know what happened, but I feel pretty confident that once the facts are out there, Pubby will enlighten us.

[lisabug606]

Actually, you left out one more situation - the possibility that the Police Chief was offered a job with another police force and asked the Lt. to join him.

 

I don't know what happened, but I feel pretty confident that once the facts are out there, Pubby will enlighten us.

 

I highly doubt if that's the case here. But like you said, we'll know eventually.

[Cathyhelms]

I've learned never to speculate. The truth always comes out.

[Hee Haw]

Could also be just a simple falling out over some aspect of the job, additional duties, pay, politics or some other disagreement. We seem to want to always see the worse and that may indeed be the case here. But it could also be over some other reasons too. They certainly wouldn't be the first two people to up and leave a job for whatever reason.

[FreeBird]

Rumors folks ... those are rumors and these are real lives.

 

As far as the opportunity to address the issue, the former Chief knows where we are and I would offer either he or the Lt. the opportunity to address the community.

 

pubby

 

pubby, I have been on this board over 5 years. With this statement, you seem to say that your door is always open if anyone wants to come in and bare all. Seems on past occasions (I guess depending on what/who the story involved) you were out pounding the pavement to get the news.

 

My guess is you are withholding info.

 

Remember that Santa is watching!

[xxrsellars]

A reporter has to have sources, Solo.

 

Obviously I had sources who clued me to the fact that there had been a change in Hiram.

 

I've been out here a long time and while I've heard rumors, rumors at best can lead one to ask questions. To get the story, folks with direct knowledge have to be willing to talk and answer questions. Right now, in this regard, no one is talking.

 

What do you suggest, we act like a tabloid newspaper or TV show and offer $10,000 for an exclusive interview with whom?

 

The dynamics and media issues and benefits are not that great here and I won't ask you to put up the money, Solo.

 

Oh, the Atlanta media might be interested and could probably spare two or three dozen man hours (a good part of my week by the way) to hound a list of potential contacts but ... frankly ... unless they get lucky like they did with Susan Richardson, I know they'll come away with nothing. They've been here and done that before.

 

Do know that I have no problem at all writing the story, however it goes.

 

But to give you a bit better idea of how things work in general, let me go back to a story that is probably before your time.

 

I had a story from the PC Drug Task Force about a missing vial of cocaine missing from the PCSO during the tenure of the county's first republican sheriff since reconstruction, Perry Grogan. (Grogan died earlier this year.) I was called to a secret meeting at Paulding Meadows park where I was given the story from a reliable source. The story expanded to include an information from an Assistant DA and DA and included a video tape of a bail bondsman who appeared to have offered to have that bit of evidence disappear in exchange for $5000.

 

The bailbondsman died in the hospital of a heart attack he had at the hospital and the tie to the sheriff was broken and the daily metro newspapers actually ended up ignoring the story. Part of that was politics -- Newt was pretty strong in these here parts and, well among the oddities, was a never opened (sealed) federal grand jury indictment of Paulding's High Sheriff. (An assistant US Attorney was aghast that I had the case number!)

 

I was also writing stories about how the Sheriff was a bit of a dog who was cited in three sexual harassment cases including one from the gal who was negotiating for a national vendor the pay phone system at the jail. (It was while doing this research I ran across the sealed federal indictment.) Bow wow and written but also totally ignored by the Atlanta press.

 

But what none of us knew ... oddly didn't even expect considering the various ages of the women who had filed sexual harassment suits ... is that the sheriff apparently didn't distinguish women from pre-pubescent girls. Seriously.

 

Seems that after losing to then newcomer Bruce Harris, Grogan attempted to regain office four years later. At that time one of his victims - a 12 year old child who had been forced to take baths with the high sheriff - was 16 and while her family had moved from the area and had been offered money and support by the high sheriff, they decided to turn state's evidence and talk about the incidents of child molestation performed by the sheriff.

 

Those allegations of course were characterized by the local Republicans as politically motivated but politically motivation doesn't send people to prison for a decade and put them on the sexual offenders list for the remainder of their lives.

 

Yes, I knew there was more to the whole story and there was much that has never been revealed about the shenanigans that occurred in that office at that time.

 

But the point is that none of will ever come out unless someone decides to talk.

 

Guess what Solo: Folks can come on here and talk, can't they.

 

pubby

 

What does "Republican" have to do with it ?? Guess you couldn't resist throwing that in. Couldn't find any liberal trash uh ???

[EagleWings]

What does "Republican" have to do with it ?? Guess you couldn't resist throwing that in. Couldn't find any liberal trash uh ???

What does any of that have to do with it?

[xxrsellars]

What does any of that have to do with it?

 

Yup !! I stand corrected.......

[rednekkhikkchikk]

Well duh.

 

It was Republicans who were calling the allegations politically motivated. It plainly says so right there in the sentence with the text YOU highlighted.

 

If everyone else here feels they have the right to say whatever they want on this board-subject matter be damned-then so much more so should the owner of the site feel entitled to do the same...and it is what it is. That's not exactly trashing someone.

 

Chiming in at every opportunity to dog on those 'Democraps', however, is.

 

 

 

 

[wcso84]

Actually, you left out one more situation - the possibility that the Police Chief was offered a job with another police force and asked the Lt. to join him.

 

I don't know what happened, but I feel pretty confident that once the facts are out there, Pubby will enlighten us.

 

 

THAAAANK YOU.

 

 

I have seen this situation play out on more than one occasion. As chief deputy of a department in Kansas, in the first part of this decade, I was offered a position as chief of police with a department in another part of the state. Had the terms been right and I accepted the position my lieutenant would have left the sheriff’s department also to take the position as my assistant chief. SO, I would have put in my resignation along with a lieutenant in the same department, at the same time. I do not owe it to the public to disclose any personal decisions I make, if you want to know, make an open records request.

 

With that said, I do not know anything about the hierarchy

of Hiram PD, or any indiscretions, past or present of those in question here.

 

All I am saying is STOP THE RUMOR MILL.

 

If you have facts, fine post them.

If you want the facts, do some research and find them.

Just stop the unfounded bashing.

[KenBall]

What does any of that have to do with it?

 

The Tree Hugger Strikes Again And the comment "a reporter has/uses his sources for information" now that one is just simply

Edited December 18, 2009 by KenBall

[DallasRed]

I thought we were supposed to play nice for a week or so....Oh we aren't in the PF

[MeWhoElse]

Pubby any updates available?

[jp184]

Pubby, we'd really like to know.

[lovecanbuildabridge]

I am sure we are all on the mark... or near. ... may they find peace now....

[EagleWings]

I am not one to start rumors so I hope this post doesn't imply anything different. I know there aren't any facts coming out about the two resignations but my curiosity is going around in circles. If this resignation was nothing but taking another job or simply stepping down, why would the facts be kept secret? Why isn't anyone talking and saying just that? If I got another job and left for it, why all hush hush? They secrecy around this is what is stoking the fire of gossip. If it was just a resignation, then say it. That's all. THEN, rumor mills would be closed down. Right?

[Cabe]

If it was just a resignation, then say it. That's all. THEN, rumor mills would be closed down. Right?

 

But, that's exactly what it says.

[ladybug82525]

I sence some vultures lurking for fresh meat to chomp down on...WOW!

Edited December 18, 2009 by ladybug82525

[EagleWings]

But, that's exactly what it says.

 

I guess my words out of context do sound stupid. Yes, they are volunteer resignations but secrecy behind the statement is more what I was getting too. Again, not implying just think the statement could have been a little more situation settling.

[Bushmonkey]

Chief and Asst. Chief at Hiram Police Department resign Tuesday

 

 

Hiram Police Chief Johnny Shirley, who ran for sheriff in last year's Republican primary, and his assistant, resigned from their leadership posts at the Hiram Police Department Tuesday, December 15th, said Terrie Holly, city clerk of Hiram.

 

Ms. Holly said, "Yes, there have been two resignations. Chief Johnny Shirley resigned voluntarily and Troy Hendricks, Lt. Troy Hendricks, has resigned voluntarily. Any rumors out there to the contrary are not true. They are voluntary resignations and that is all there is to say."

 

Ms. Holly did say that the city planned to name an interim Chief to head the force by Friday. The Hiram police force has grown rapidly in the past decade and now numbers more than a dozen POST certified officers.

 

pubby

 

does anybody know if an interim chief been named by the city??? the statement said this would happen by friday (yesterday 12/18)

[**Bren**]

your point???

[joemturner]

The fastest way to extinguish the speculation on this subject would be to douse it with facts.

[MeWhoElse]

The fastest way to extinguish the speculation on this subject would be to douse it with facts.

 

:clapping:

[Jughaid]

Sounds like a personnel matter between the city, the former Chief and the Lt. Doesn't have to be disclosed.

Edited December 19, 2009 by Jughaid

[MeWhoElse]

Sounds like a personnel matter between the city, the former Chief and the Lt. Doesn't have to be disclosed.

 

If this had been the mayor resigning, would you have felt the same way?

[chainshaw1]

Sounds like a personnel matter between the city, the former Chief and the Lt. Doesn't have to be disclosed.

 

They are employees of the taxpayers of the City of Hiram. It DOES have to be disclosed. If there are issues that the voters/taxpayers need to address, it needs to be known.

[MeWhoElse]

They are employees of the taxpayers of the City of Hiram. It DOES have to be disclosed. If there are issues that the voters/taxpayers need to address, it needs to be known.

 

I agree...

[joemturner]

Honestly, I don't think all public office resignations are necessarily news stories. Two in one day at the top of the same department smells like news to most journalists, though.

 

Ah well.

[UnionMom]

Sounds like a personnel matter between the city, the former Chief and the Lt. Doesn't have to be disclosed.

If a personal matter inhibits the ability of individuals to do their job properly, it absolutely is the business of the public they serve(d). If a personal matter has created an inhospitable work environment, it absolutely is the business of the public they serve(d). (merely examples ... not suggestions/rumors of what has happened)

 

And Pat ... you could avoid some of the speculation about your reporting by stating that the other parties involved are not answering questions/returning calls/talking/whatever at this time. It's a pretty standard "covering your reporter a$$" addition to a story that isn't reporting all sides.

[gpatt0n]

The law gives public institutions (city, county government, schools, colleges and other creatures of the state) some latitude in regard to the discussion of personnel.

 

The issue of whether the personnel files involved here are open record or not would likely involve the city asserting they are closed personnel records. This they have done.

 

The next step would then be a formal open record request stating the documents sought. That request may be addressed in such a manner as to make the effort meaningful or meaningless. My experience is that if a city doesn't want you to have information, despite significant sanctions to the contrary, they will obfuscate and delay as much as possible.

 

Assuming the information provided does not really address the issue, the failure to provide the requested information could be interpreted as a refusal. Somewhere along in here the person/entity seeking the documents would make a complaint to the AG who may or may not seek to compel the disclosure of the records sought or may allow some disclosure but block other documents depending on case law and other factors. Certainly, information such as the pay, tenure and whether there were formal complaints made against the former chief in the past would be among the items sought.

 

Here is the link to the Georgia sunshine law document published by the Georgia First Amendment Foundation and Atty Gen. Thurbert Baker. http://www.gfaf.org/resources/sunshine_laws.pdf

 

pubby

[lotstodo]

The law gives public institutions (city, county government, schools, colleges and other creatures of the state) some latitude in regard to the discussion of personnel.

 

The issue of whether the personnel files involved here are open record or not would likely involve the city asserting they are closed personnel records. This they have done.

 

The next step would then be a formal open record request stating the documents sought. That request may be addressed in such a manner as to make the effort meaningful or meaningless. My experience is that if a city doesn't want you to have information, despite significant sanctions to the contrary, they will obfuscate and delay as much as possible.

 

Assuming the information provided does not really address the issue, the failure to provide the requested information could be interpreted as a refusal. Somewhere along in here the person/entity seeking the documents would make a complaint to the AG who may or may not seek to compel the disclosure of the records sought or may allow some disclosure but block other documents depending on case law and other factors. Certainly, information such as the pay, tenure and whether there were formal complaints made against the former chief in the past would be among the items sought.

 

Here is the link to the Georgia sunshine law document published by the Georgia First Amendment Foundation and Atty Gen. Thurbert Baker. http://www.gfaf.org/resources/sunshine_laws.pdf

 

pubby

Have you made that GORA Request?

[jp184]

What I find strange is that no news stations have picked up on this yet. Or unless they are having diffuculties getting the answers also. Whatever the reason the public should be entitled to know.

[Jughaid]

Honestly, I don't think all public office resignations are necessarily news stories. Two in one day at the top of the same department smells like news to most journalists, though.

 

Ah well.

Sounds a little snarky. I bet you will back peddle and try to make it sound so innocent but this is very obvious.