COHUTTA, Ga. — Town council members in a small northern Georgia mountain community scheduled an emergency session Friday night to address the reinstatement of their police force after Mayor Ron Shinnick dismissed the police chief and every officer on the force.
A public notice displayed at Cohutta Town Hall indicated the council would also review a demand for Shinnick’s “immediate resignation.”
Earlier this week, residents of the approximately 930-person community discovered a posted announcement declaring the police department had been “dissolved” by the mayor’s order. The notice directed citizens needing assistance to contact the county’s non-emergency line.
The police chief and roughly 10 officers lost their positions effective Wednesday morning. Specific explanations for the dismissals have not been made public, leaving residents seeking clarification at Friday’s council session.
Shinnick stated he acted due to social media posts made by officers. Former Sergeant Jeremy May explained the situation stemmed from complaints he and fellow officers filed regarding the mayor’s spouse, Pam Shinnick, who had worked as town clerk.
“This all comes to personal vendetta from the mayor, and I wholeheartedly believe that,” May told WRCB-TV. “We took a stand for transparency, and in result, every one of them has lost their jobs.”
Former Cohutta Police Chief Greg Fowler informed WRCB that he could not provide detailed comments while officers removed their equipment from the department building this week. The mayor expressed uncertainty about future plans to the television station.
Attempts to reach the mayor by phone and email Friday were unsuccessful.
Town attorney Bryan Rayburn stated via email, “Mayor Shinnick and the Town Council remain committed to transparency, accountability, and the responsible administration of town business.”
Rayburn declined additional comments but expressed confidence that the community’s “operations and public services will continue without interruption, including Municipal Court.”
The Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement confirming deputies would provide assistance to Cohutta residents during the absence of local law enforcement. The community sits near the Tennessee border, approximately 100 miles northwest of Atlanta.
Several residents attempted to broadcast Friday evening’s meeting through social media platforms, but poor cellular reception in the area prevented successful streaming.
