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SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Griffin City Manager Jessica O’Connor has confirmed that Griffin Police Department Officer Brian Dorety, who has been the subject of recent investigative articles in The GRIP, has been placed on administrative leave with pay. “As is standard practice when someone or something is under investigation, Officer Dorety has been placed on […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Profanity laced text messages sent from a city of Griffin cell phone that was issued to an officer in the Griffin Police Department Criminal Apprehension and Gang Enforcement (C.A.G.E.) Unit show two agents taunting suspects in a narcotics case. In two of those text messages, an agent claimed to have taken […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: A Griffin man was injured in a shooting late Sunday night. Griffin Police Department Chief Mike Yates said 22-year-old Dequavious Lamar Holland was wounded in the incident but survived. Officer Jimmy Hancock, who is assigned to the GPD Uniform Patrol Division, responded to WellStar Spalding Regional Hospital at approximately 10:30 p.m. […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: One man is dead and nearly 100 criminal charges levied in a narcotics case investigated by the Griffin Police Department Criminal Apprehension and Gang Enforcement (C.A.G.E.) Unit were dismissed after it was discovered the lead agent, Officer Brian Dorety, failed to disclose his use of an informant with whom he was […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Durand Jeremy Mack, of Griffin, is being held without bond in the Spalding County Jail after an alleged domestic dispute left a woman in critical condition. Authorities say 24-year-old Courtney Perry was found in the roadway to the rear of a Jeep Wrangler Sunday morning after police were dispatched to the […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Griffin Police Department (GPD) is temporarily unable to use speed detection devices due to the expiration of its Federal Communications Commission (FCC) license. GPD Chief Mike Yates said the license expired at midnight March 26, 2022. He learned of the license expiration March 28, and all officers were then notified […]
STAFF REPORT ::: The Griffin Police Department arrested one man today after a fight escalated into a shooting incident. GPD officers responded to the 100 block of Wedgewood Walk after a call to 911 reported a fight. That fight escalated to gunfire before officers arrived. Authorities say that as multiple parties fled the scene on […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Only four weeks after a press release posted on the City of Griffin Police Department Facebook page was deleted under mysterious circumstances, a second post related to the Griffin Police Department was deleted from a local community forum Facebook page. The latest deleted social media content involves a March 22 post […]
STAFF REPORT ::: A drive-by shooting on West Chappell Street early Tuesday morning left a home riddled with bullets and caused residents to fear for their lives. The incident occurred just after midnight in the vicinity of W. Chappell and West Quilly streets. Multiple shots struck the home located at 325 W. Chappell St. “Upon […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: After years of denying The GRIP Publisher Sheila Mathews’ assertions that she has been subjected to unequal, detrimental treatment by Griffin Police Department Chief Mike Yates, former City Manager Kenny Smith acknowledged a “difference” in her professional relationship with the Griffin Police Department. The November 2020 meeting during which these statements […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: In an organized effort, the city of Griffin and Griffin Police Department have engaged in the selective release of public records to manipulate the responses of Black residents to law enforcement uses of force and other GPD activities. At the same time, Griffin officials have refused to release those same records […]
STAFF REPORT ::: Wildarious Draggs, of D.F. Fuller Drive, was conscious and responsive just before 6 p.m. Tuesday when Griffin Police officers arrived at 1001 Lake Avenue in response to a shooting. Draggs reported that he had been outside when he was struck by a stray bullet from the southbound direction of 16th Street. He […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: A 17-year-old Griffin High School student, Lucinda Karina Bailey, has been arrested and charged with the production and distribution of child pornography under the Georgia Computer Pornography and Child Exploitation Prevention Act. The Griffin Police Department alleges Bailey on Monday used the iPhone AirDrop feature to disseminate a video recording of […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The city of Griffin is inquiring into the removal of a press release from the official City of Griffin Police Department Facebook page. Officials say they will be looking into the possibility of fraudulent use of the GPD social media account. The press release, posted Thursday, Feb. 24, was related to […]
STAFF REPORT ::: Police say a Griffin man is in custody on charges related to the horrifically brutal killing and decapitation of his sister’s pit bull. Griffin Police Department Office Matthew Kerlin on Feb. 6 responded to a call reporting animal cruelty. Kerlin spoke with Courtney Smith, who said she had left her pit bull […]
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