Cohutta Council Reinstates Police Force After Mayor's Firing

The Cohutta town council in a small Georgia mountain community called a special meeting on Friday to discuss reinstating the police department after Mayor Ron Shinnick fired the chief and all officers. The notice for the meeting, posted outside the Cohutta Town Hall, also mentioned considering a request for the mayor's immediate resignation.

According to The Guardian, a sign posted earlier in the week announced that the police department had been dissolved per Mayor Shinnick's order and directed residents to call a non-emergency county number for assistance. The jobs of the chief and about 10 officers were terminated as of Wednesday morning, with exact reasons not yet shared publicly.

The firings appear tied to a dispute involving complaints against Pam Shinnick, the mayor’s wife and former town clerk. Former Sgt. Jeremy May told WRCB-TV, "This all comes to personal vendetta from the mayor, and I wholeheartedly believe that." The officers alleged they had raised concerns about Pam Shinnick's continued access to residents’ personal information despite her termination for creating a hostile work environment.

The town council voted to reinstate the police force immediately and provide back pay. They also passed a measure preventing the mayor from firing the officers for the next 30 days, as reported by Fox News. The Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office has offered assistance to the community during this period.

The meeting was attended by a standing-room-only crowd of townspeople, news media, and the police officers. Vice Mayor Shane Kornberg presided over the council session after Mayor Shinnick did not return following an executive session on litigation matters. The town's attorney advised that the firings had violated the town charter, which requires 30 days' notice for employee suspensions or removals.