A tiny Georgia town lost its entire police department in a matter of days after a dispute involving the mayor’s wife spiraled into mass firings.
Cohutta Mayor Ron Shinnick ordered the shutdown of the Cohutta Police Department this week, terminating all 10 employees after officers reportedly made comments about his wife on Facebook, according to WDEF.
By Wednesday morning, stunned officers and residents were greeted with a blunt message taped to the department entrance.
“The PD has been dissolved, and all personnel have been terminated,” the notice read.
Questions quickly erupted over whether officers had any warning before the decision was carried out.
It was not immediately clear whether they had been formally notified in advance or discovered they were unemployed when they arrived for duty.
The fallout traces back to complaints filed late last month against Pam Shinnick, the mayor’s wife and the town’s former clerk.
Several officers accused her of continuing to operate a business around town despite previously being fired from her position. Pam Shinnick had reportedly been terminated last year over allegations she created a “hostile work environment.”
Officers also raised concerns that she allegedly still had access to confidential town information after her firing.
Town leaders initially appeared to smooth over the dispute publicly.
During a press conference held alongside Police Chief Greg Fowler and town attorney Brian Rayburn, officials said the situation had been resolved through “open dialogue and good-faith mediation.”
That reassurance did not last long.
Roughly a week later, every officer in the department had been fired.
Former Sgt. Jeremy May said officers believed they were protected from retaliation after voicing their concerns.
“This all comes to personal vendetta from the mayor — and I wholeheartedly believe that,” May said.
“Official response from the town attorney: Nobody’s jobs are in jeopardy,” he added. “Here we are, less than a week later, nobody has a job.”
May said the department’s complaints were centered on transparency and accountability inside town government.
“We took a stand for transparency, and in result, every one of them has lost their jobs,” he said.
Mayor Shinnick later defended the mass firings by pointing to what he called “inappropriate comments” officers allegedly posted online about his wife.
It remains unclear exactly what comments triggered the decision.
Despite the backlash, the mayor showed little hesitation about eliminating the department.
“They’ll get a paycheck. We’re not that way, and I appreciate their service, okay? It is time for a change,” Shinnick said.
The fired officers have now been instructed to return all department-issued equipment.
With the local force dissolved, the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office will take over policing duties for the town moving forward.
