SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Spalding County Board of Commissioners on Monday approved by a 4-0 vote a motion to request an investigation by the Georgia Attorney General’s Office to determine whether the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office violated Georgia’s Open Records Act following its administrative Internal Affairs investigation of David Gibson, the former captain of […]
County BoC to request Attorney General’s Office investigate Sheriff’s Office’s Open Records actions
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Attorney General's Office, David Gibson, Griffin, investigation, Open Records Act, Sheriff Wendell Beam, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office
Fifth SCSO employee announces intent to sue in Gibson case
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: A fifth employee of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office has served anti-litem notice she intends to sue Sheriff Wendell Beam and David Gibson, formerly the captain of the SCSO Uniform Patrol Division. Melanie Bowen joins four additional female SCSO employees – Jessica Kelley, Kimberley Barnett, Karen Law and Misty Piper in […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: David Gibson, Griffin, lawsuit, Melanie Bowen, Sheriff Wendell Beam, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office
GBI: Sheriff Wendell Beam did not request criminal investigation of David Gibson
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has confirmed it is conducting a second investigation involving the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office. According to Special Agent in Charge Fred Wimberly, of the GBI Region 2 office in Columbus, Sheriff Wendell Beam requested the investigation Aug. 6. “We have been requested to take a […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: David Gibson, GBI, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Griffin, Sheriff Wendell Beam, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office
Griffin PD chief responds to criticism of recruit’s “insensitive” tweet
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: A.J. Hammond, a recruit in training with the Griffin Police Department, has drawn harsh criticism following a tweet he posted during Saturday’s University of Georgia-University of Tennessee football game. After Nick Chubb, UGA’s star running back, sustained a significant and season-ending knee injury, Hammond tweeted, “I hope that ended his career! […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: A.J. Hammond, Chief Steve Heaton, Griffin, Griffin Police Department, Nick Chubb, spalding county, tweet
Griffin residents arrested, charged in eight residential burglaries
STAFF REPORT ::: Christopher Robert Parnell, age 39, of 121 South Honey Bear Drive, and Ronda Swartz, age 45, of 2175 Old Atlanta Road, have each been charged with eight counts of residential burglary. Parnell was also charged with three counts of theft by deception and Parnell faces one count of that charge. According to […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Christopher Robert Parnell, crime, Griffin, Ronda Swart, Sheriff Wendell Beam, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office
Chief Steve Heaton resigning from Griffin Police Department
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Grip has learned that Griffin Police Department Chief Steve Heaton has submitted to City Manager Kenny Smith his letter of resignation. Heaton took over the chief of police position April 14, 2014, following the December 2013 restructuring of the GPD that resulted in former chief Frank Strickland’s designation as the […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Chief Steve Heaton, Griffin, Griffin Police Department, resignation, spalding county
Sheriff’s Office withheld records at will prior to issuance of court order
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: “The General Assembly finds and declares that the strong public policy of this state is in favor of open government; that open government is essential to a free, open and democratic society; and that public access to public records should be encouraged to foster confidence in government and so that the […]
Griffin PD officer resigns following DUI arrest
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Cpl. Chad Moxon, of the Griffin Police Department Uniform Patrol Division, was on Monday, Sept. 21 arrested by the Pike County Sheriff’s Office on charges of DUI and failure to maintain a lane. According to Chief Steve Heaton, Moxon has since voluntarily resigned from the GPD. “I was notified Tuesday morning […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Cpl. Chad Moxon, DUI, Griffin, Griffin Police Department, Pike County Sheriff's Office, spalding county
Commissioner: Believes “the evidence is there” that Sheriff’s Office violated the law
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Spalding County Commissioner Gwen Flowers-Taylor on Thursday addressed her fellow commissioners and other county officials, expressing her concerns about the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office’s responses to Open Records requests in the David Gibson investigation. Flowers-Taylor acknowledged that as a constitutional officer, Sheriff Wendell Beam has the authority to hire and fire […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: David Gibson, Georgia Open Records Act, Griffin, Gwen Flowers-Taylor, Sheriff Wendell Beam, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office
GPD: Girl struck by vehicle at bus stop expected to make full recovery
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The six-year-old little girl who was stuck by a Ford Escape early Thursday morning remains in the Intensive Care Unit at Egleston Children’s Hospital, but she is expected to survive her injuries. According to Lt. Curtis Keys, of the Griffin Police Department Uniform Patrol Division, the girl’s father reports her injuries […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: bus stop, child struck, collision, Griffin, Griffin Police Department, spalding county, wreck
Young girl struck by vehicle Thursday morning as she walked to bus stop
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: A six-year-old girl was critically injured Thursday morning when she was struck by a white Ford Escape. According to Lt. Curtis Keys, of the Griffin Police Department Uniform Patrol Division, the incident occurred as the child was en route to her bus stop. “A group of kids were walking southbound on […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: bus stop, Griffin, Griffin Spalding County School System, pedestrian struck, spalding county
David Gibson granted bond
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: David Gibson, formerly the captain of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Uniform Patrol Division, appeared before Judge Robert M. Crawford in Spalding County Superior Court Monday for a bond hearing on ten charges brought last week by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Gibson, who is charged with aggravated assault, two counts […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: bond, court, crime, David Gibson, GBI, Griffin, Sheriff Wendell Beam, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office
GPD investigating Sunday afternoon shooting
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Griffin Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred approximately 25 minutes ago in the 200 block of W. Quilly St. According to Lt. Curtis Keys, of the GPD Uniform Patrol Division, witnesses are reporting that a two men on foot approached and fired multiple shots towards a separate group of approximately […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: crime, Griffin, Griffin Police Department, shooting, spalding county
GBI arrest warrants detail criminal allegations against David Gibson
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The arrest warrants obtained by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation against David Gibson, formerly the captain of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Uniform Patrol Division, allege criminal wrongdoing dating back as early as 2008. Gibson was arrested by the GBI Sept. 10, when he turned himself in to the Spalding County […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: arrest, crime, David Gibson, GBI, Griffin, investigation, Sheriff Wendell Beam, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office
Officials say no threats of violence have been made against local schools
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Local law enforcement and school officials say they are aware of social media discussions regarding threats of violence tomorrow against school children and teachers, but they have received no information pertaining to any threats in Griffin-Spalding County. According to Judy Parker, executive director of the Griffin-Spalding County School System’s Communications and […]
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Griffin, Griffin Police Department, Griffin Spalding County School System, school, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office, threat, violence
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