WARM SPRINGS, Ga. — The small city of Warms Springs in Meriwether County is in the spotlight after several officers were suspended and the police chief fired.
Warm Springs had 13 officers on its staff; 11 were suspended, and the police chief was fired.
"We understand the impact that this decision has had on the community and are dedicated to maintaining public safety and trust. Further information will be provided once the investigation progresses," said Tammy Howe of the city council.
The suspensions and firing came after an internal investigation – with just one officer remaining on active duty. That officer, Aisha Al-Khalifa, is now interim police chief.
Despite the drastic changes, former city council member Geraldine Thompson said Warm Springs will be fine.
“We’ve been without a police chief before, and we’ve been short-staffed before, and we’ve never had any major problems," Thompson said.
The Meriwether County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it will fill in the gap if and when they are needed.
"The Meriwether Sheriff's Office has previously provided backup to the city of Warm Springs along with every other city in Meriwether jurisdiction and will continue to regardless of whether there is a municipal officer on duty or not," the statement said.
City officials haven't said what is being investigated or how long the investigation will take. However, in a statement, officials said a department-wide investigation is underway, and staff changes were made after "careful consideration of recent events and emerging concerns regarding the conduct and operations within the department. The investigation aims to ensure the integrity and accountability of our law enforcement officers and to restore public trust."
Thompson said she has full confidence that city leaders have made this decision after weighing all the options.
“It was quite a shocker, but I know the rules and regulations they have to follow and I’m sure they did that in the firing of the chief," Thompson added.
While public safety is top of mind for many in Warm Springs, this shakeup might also impact pending cases involving the police department.
Mike Puglise, a former police officer who is now lawyer, said all of this could bring a dark cloud over open investigations.
"That's concerning. You have not only Warm Springs Municipal Court that's going to be involved for all the traffic citations, but these 11 officers and the Chief of Police may be involved in state and superior court cases," Puglise explained.
While it's still unclear what's sparked this shake-up and what the investigation has uncovered up to this point, Pulgise said the outcome could have far-reaching impacts.
"What is this all about? Is it going to affect these cases by the mere fact of the credibility of the officers and the integrity of this department," Puglise said.
11Alive reached out to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) on Thursday night to find out if their agency has been requested to investigate any allegations within the department. A spokeswoman said they've not been asked to investigate anything pertaining to the Warm Springs Police Department.