This Georgia City Just Lost Its Entire Police Force: Here's Why

The entire full-time police force in Milner, Georgia, along with the city administrator, has resigned amid concerns about the mayor and some City Council members.

Why did the city administrator and police force resign?

Police Chief Lamar Bunn and all five full-time officers submitted their resignations, with their final day scheduled for Oct. 28. City Administrator Tausha Grose also announced her resignation during a City Council meeting on Oct. 19, saying she would leave her position on Oct. 30, according to WSB-TV and 11Alive.

“It is with my extreme sorrow that our entire full-time police department has resigned,” Grose told the council Monday, per 11Alive.

In a resignation letter WMAZ-TV obtained, Grose blamed Mayor Craig Timmons.

“I feel as though I can no longer [serve effectively] with the actions of the current elected Mayor. I cannot condone his recent actions and his lack of respect for my position,” she wrote.

Mayor accused of placing tracker on police chief’s truck

The resignations come amid allegations that Timmons used his own money to purchase and place a tracking device on Bunn’s personal truck. Bunn told WSB-TV he consulted an outside agency to determine whether the tracker violated the law or his rights. He also said he did not object to the city tracking his vehicle through proper channels.

When asked during the council meeting whether he placed a tracking device on the police chief’s truck, Timmons responded, “I have no comment,” WSB-TV reported.

One officer’s resignation letter, which WSB-TV obtained under Georgia’s Open Records Act, cited concerns about the “judgment and decision-making of the Mayor and certain members of the City Council concerning the Police Department.”

The officer also raised concerns about restrictions on officers working off-duty jobs.

Will the Milner community have other law enforcement resources to rely on?

Despite the department’s mass resignation, Bunn expressed hope that tensions between the police department and city leadership could be addressed, according to WSB-TV.

He also said most of the city’s reserve officers have resigned, further reducing the department’s staffing.

Milner, which has around 800 residents, is expected to rely on the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement coverage following the police department’s departure, per 11Alive.