Cohutta Town Council Reinstates Police After Controversial Firings

The town council in a small mountain community in northern Georgia has revived its police department, reversing the mayor’s recent decision to dismiss all officers just two days prior. This action took place during a packed special meeting on Friday, attended by residents, media, and police, as noted by Councilman and Deputy Mayor Shane Kornberg.

Kornberg confirmed that the officers will be reinstated immediately and will receive back pay for their time off. Earlier in the week, a notice had been placed in the town, with a population of around 930, indicating the police department’s disbandment following an announcement from Mayor Ron Shinnick. Residents were instructed to call the county’s non-emergency number for assistance.

The firings, which involved the police chief and about ten officers, occurred early Wednesday morning, but the reasons behind the dismissals haven’t been disclosed publicly. Shinnick mentioned that his decision was linked to some comments made on social media.

Former Sgt. Jeremy May expressed that the situation stemmed from complaints he and others made regarding the mayor’s wife, Pam Shinnick, who worked as a city employee. He described the incident as potentially a personal vendetta by the mayor, asserting, “We took a stand for transparency, and as a result, they all lost their jobs.”

Both current and former police chief Greg Fowler noted he couldn’t provide specific details as officers were in the process of clearing out the police station and retrieving their equipment.

The mayor stated he was uncertain about the next steps following the tumultuous events. Attempts to reach him for comment on Friday went unanswered.

Kornberg mentioned that town attorney Brian Rayburn had informed the council that the firings didn’t adhere to the town charter, which requires a 30-day notice before suspending or terminating employees. The council then convened privately to discuss the legal ramifications.

When they returned, Kornberg indicated that the mayor did not voluntarily rejoin the meeting. The council proceeded to pass an ordinance reinstating the officers. They also enacted a measure that would prevent the mayor from dismissing any officers for the next 30 days.

Furthermore, the remaining agenda, which included discussions surrounding the mayor’s removal, was set to be addressed at a later time.

While Cohutta’s police officers are unavailable, the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office has offered to assist residents as necessary. Located just south of the Tennessee state line, Cohutta is approximately 160 miles northwest of Atlanta. Some residents attempted to livestream the meeting but faced challenges due to poor cell service in the area.