CLARKSTON, Ga. — Clarkston’s Police Chief told 11Alive in an interview Thursday night that she will resign, along with all the officers who are also leaving the department.
Chief Christine Hudson said she supports the officers, who are resigning one by one because of pay and, they say, a toxic work environment at Clarkston City Hall.
The police force is already depleted and struggling to protect the people of Clarkston.
Chief Hudson said she has fought as hard as she can for the police department and for the officers and hates to leave, but she said she sees no other options.
When asked, “Do you see yourself staying here?” she answered, simply, “No.”
The chief said she is not sure when she will leave, and after 40 years in law enforcement, she is not going to work for another department.
“No, no, no, staying here, in state, but I’m at retirement age, I’m looking to do something else,” Hudson said.
That’s when she was asked about the officers she will be leaving.
“It’s really sad,” she said. “I can’t go into a lot of details, it’s sad, it breaks my heart.”
Moments later, she was fighting back tears, for the officers and for the department.
Hudson said she expects that, by August, the department will be down to just nine officers, out of the 21 officers authorized for the department.
The officers are leaving for other departments in metro Atlanta, not just because of lower pay in Clarkston, but because, they say, Clarkston’s City Manager has created a toxic work environment.
And Chief Hudson has filed an EEOC complaint against the City Manager, Shawanna Qawiy.
Qawiy said Thursday night that she has worked hard to make police pay and benefits and incentives competitive for Clarkston police officers.
But a toxic work environment?
“That is a concern,” Qawiy said. “And I’ve had those one-on-one conversations with them.”
She insisted she is hearing them and addressing their concerns.
And she pointed out that practically every police department across the country is losing officers.
“We will continue to maintain a successful transition, for what we’re enduring now,” she said. “The dilemma that we’re facing is not just in the City of Clarkston. We’re just living our day-to-day out loud.”
The Clarkston Police Department spokesperson said the department has possibly three new hires who might join in the next few months.
There's a hiring fair on Wednesday, July 12, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the women’s club next door to Clarkston City Hall, to offer incentives to certified officers from other departments to encourage them to sign on with the Clarkston Police Department.