BoC vote and contract to conduct Griffin PD operational assessment cloaked in secrecy

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Griffin Board of Commissioners has voted to authorize an operational assessment of the Griffin Police Department. The vote authorizing City Attorney Drew Whalen to move forward with a contract for this assessment was taken during the BoC’s Nov. 22 meeting. All discussion about the operational assessment and the vote authorizing […]

BoC vote and contract to conduct Griffin PD operational assessment cloaked in secrecy

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Griffin Board of Commissioners has voted to authorize an operational assessment of the Griffin Police Department. The vote authorizing City Attorney Drew Whalen to move forward with a contract for this assessment was taken during the BoC’s Nov. 22 meeting. All discussion about the operational assessment and the vote authorizing […]

Misconduct in GPD C.A.G.E. Unit tied to dismissal of nearly 100 charges; linked to man’s death, family says

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 […]

EXCLUSIVE: Griffin Police Department manipulated public records, used civic group to “keep the minority community at bay”

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 […]

GPD withholds records in case alleging judicial misconduct against local judge

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The city of Griffin is again refusing to release public records to The GRIP, this time withholding records associated with an investigation of alleged judicial misconduct involving Spalding County Magistrate Judge Don Taliaferro. The alleged misconduct was first reported to the Griffin Police Department on June 14, 2018, when Toni Presley […]

Griffin City Attorney Drew Whalen submits false statement to Attorney General’s Office

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Griffin City Attorney Drew Whalen submitted a false statement to the Georgia Attorney General’s Office in response to a criminal complaint filed by The GRIP Publisher Sheila Mathews. Following multiple refusals to release a public record over a period of several months, Mathews in November filed a complaint with the Griffin […]

GPD Chief fabricated, released record identifying Will Sanders as Matthew Boynton’s father

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The GRIP, through a series of Open Records requests (ORRs), has obtained public records establishing that Griffin Police Department Chief Michael F. Yates fabricated and released to some media outlets a document falsely identifying Will Holloway Sanders as the father of former Griffin police officer Matthew Lee Boynton. Sanders, who has […]

City of Griffin non-compliant with Open Records Act

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Despite complying with demands from the city of Griffin requiring prepayment of estimated charges for Open Records requests, public records are still not being produced within the parameters of the law. The GRIP Publisher Sheila Mathews on Wednesday, Oct. 3, paid $107.33 in estimated charges for four such requests. Responsive records […]

City of Griffin reverses decision denying Open Records to The GRIP

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The city of Griffin (CoG) has reversed its previous position of refusing to produce public records pursuant to Open Records requests submitted by The GRIP. The GRIP Publisher Sheila Mathews had been notified that responses to Open Records requests would not be forthcoming until $523.40 in alleged arrears for prior Open […]

GPD releases citizens’ personal Facebook records

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Griffin Police Department has released personal messages from the Facebook account of Will Holloway Sanders and three other individuals. This followed a public statement directed solely to Sanders that was allegedly made by GPD Chief Mike Yates. “Mr. Sanders, The police department and myself have been the subject of numerous […]

City of Griffin refusing to release public records to The GRIP

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The city of Griffin is refusing to release public records to The GRIP. After filing formal complaints with the Georgia Attorney General’s Office alleging the city of Griffin has violated numerous provisions of the Open Records Act, The GRIP received notification from Griffin Chief of Staff Jessica Whatley-O’Connor stating access to […]

Former GPD officer’s pre-hire tests raised concerns

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Pre-employment testing records for former GPD Officer Tyler Cooper indicate some portions raised questions regarding whether he should have been hired to police the city of Griffin. As part of the hiring process, the GPD administers an examination called the Personnel Evaluation Profile (PEP), which is commonly referred to as a […]

City of Griffin releases records to The GRIP after seven-month dispute

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: After refusing since Feb. 3 to produce certain personnel records sought in an Open Records request submitted by The GRIP Publisher Sheila Mathews, the city of Griffin on Sept. 1 reversed that long held decision and released the exempted documents. At the crux of the dispute were the pre-employment computer voice […]

Former GPD officer “showed deception” on every question in pre-employment computer voice stress analysis

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The GRIP has learned that Tyler Cooper, a former officer of the Griffin Police Department, indicated deception on every question asked during his preemployment computer voice stress analysis (CVSA) – a form of polygraph examination. Although the city of Griffin has for nearly seven months refused to release Cooper’s CVSA, The […]

GPD confirms second officer under investigation

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The GRIP has confirmed that Sgt. Dwayne Hancock, of the Griffin Police Department, is the subject of an Internal Affairs investigation. This follows a report two days ago that Lt. Curtis Keys is under formal investigation. Upon receiving information pertaining to this investigation, an Open Records request was submitted to the […]