A former Polk County Police Officer speaks out about his personnel file in the latest on the Polk County Police audit

Editor's note: due to the need for lengthy explanation with this story, we have divided it up into two parts. The second part will be released in the Aug. 23 edition, with subsequent reports about the police department scheduled to run following that on other questions we had about the Polk County Police Department's audit. - KM

The story of former Polk County Police Department officer John Chandler began with a phone call that happened two years ago, and ended with him being fired and getting his job back.

A position Chandler kept until April of this year when he left for a job with the Walker County Sheriff’s Office.

His issues with the County Police Department started when he tried to inquire about a potential training opportunity he was told about by a Drug Task Force sergeant at the time, which he asked about several times. Chandler got no straight answer on whether he would be able to participate in the class, so he took matters into his own hands.

In May 2015, Chandler put in an off-duty hours call to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to seek information about a class he wanted to attend for training purposes. He had tried to call before, and only got a voicemail which wasn’t returned. Unfortunately for Chandler, he learned the class was not being offered for the rest of the year, and then the secretary handed over the phone to the GBI’s Carla Dutton.

Dutton later issued a complaint with the Polk County Police Department, and stated that Chandler’s behavior during the conversation was unprofessional.

That verbal complaint was made to Assistant Chief Kiki Evans, who then asked then Sgt. Mark Tillery to investigate the claim and determine whether Chandler violated any Polk County Police Department policies, specifically those related to following the chain of command and conduct unbecoming a police officer.

A three-page summary of the investigation completed by Tillery was among the items included in Chandler’s personnel file, which is avaiable with this story online.

Tillery stated he didn’t feel that Chandler had violated any chain of command in the incident since the phone call was “made by an officer, off-duty, with the sole intent to ask if a class was going to be held and when. There was no evidence presented that proved Chandler attempted to sign himself up or enroll in this class as he is required to do by policy.”

However, Tillery did state he felt some justification for the complaint being made by Dutton since “somewhere during the initial phone conversation there was at minimum a miscue of derogatory communication.” His report went on to state that Tillery believed it fell under a violation of the policy for conduct unbecoming a police officer, and that he received a documented verbal warning to strictly follow all guidelines when it came to training from June 2015 on, when that verbal warning was given and the investigation into the incident closed.

Chandler decided he felt the situation was unfair however, and sent a letter to Polk County Police Chief Kenny Dodd about his feelings about the reprimand.

In the letter, which was provided both in his personnel file to fulfill an Open Records request and was left at our office in past weeks while the Standard Journal was closed, details the situation including how he came to know about the complaint.

After his May phone conversation, Chandler stated that on June 5, 2015 he came to the Polk County Police Department's office in Cedartown to change out patrol cars, and was informed at the time that "Chief Evans wanted me to be written up for violating chain of command."

"Because I was checking on a class without consulting Captain McGee," the letter stated.

Chandler's letter went on in detail to state that he felt he hadn't violated the chain of command, and that he felt he was specifically being written up "as a 'favor,' and not because I violated the policy. I did not violate any rules."

He went on to say in his letter - which in the personnel file includes notes from Dodd which are available in this story on the Standard Journal website - he felt that he was being treated unfairly while other officers with worse infractions weren't punished at all.

Chandler's letter added that training is the responsibility of each officer according to the County's Standard Operating Procedures, with 40 hours minimum required per year. Chandler however claimed that in 2013, he only got 32 hours of in-service classes completed. Dodd's notes asked how that particular set of numbers was relevant, and stated that at least one officer he knew of during 2013 had 11 hours in four months, 54 of those from the Polk County Police Department.

Dodd's notes does confirm the police department's training policy too, and added that "we do that (offer classes) to help officers."

Chandler's letter went on in places to state he had tried to make requests for training previously, but that those requests were denied without explanation. He also stated in the letter -with notes of rebuttal from Dodd - that if sought training during vacation as he had before, why should he have to make an official request to participate in any classes if it was during his own time and he wasn't spe- cifically being paid for hours during his attendance.

Dodd pointed out in his notes that any officer who wishes to attend training must first fill out a request since during that time - whether on or off duty - they represent the Polk County Police Department.

However, Chandler's letter makes complaints about a lack of consistency in policy, but doesn't provide any specific answers.

Chandler did state that he felt that "I seem to be fighting against overwhelming odds, and I don't wish to struggle with the people I work for. This situation has made coming to work unnecessarily stressful, and makes me feel like there will be a systematic demise to my employment here."

The letter added that "if I am directed to be written up for trying to gather class dates, then will I be written up because I wrote this letter?"

Dodd's notes added after that "is what's in the letter true or are you setting up a lawsuit?"

Chandler's letter also complained about policy requiring them to have identification cards - which after two yeas of employment at the time the letter was sent in 2015 he stated hadn't been issued to him yet - and additionally felt that it was likely he would be retaliated against for sending this latest letter, and that "there are different standards for different employees."

Dodd subsequently sent a list of questions about the letter to Chandler on June 22, 2015, asking for clarification on a number of issues.

Those included which employees were allowed to break the chain of command and when, seeking more information on specific instances when Chandler felt he had been unjustly treated, and also stating that Chandler had previously "recorded me and my command staff against policy and yet you did not receive a reprimand?"

The list of questions from Dodd that are available from the Open Records Request is also included in this story online.

When asked about Chandler's situation in a previous conversation with Dodd earlier this summer, he stated that all the information was within Chandler's personnel file and had no further comment about the issue.

We sought comment from Dodd on this and other matters this week again, but he has not yet returned any calls to the Standard Journal since his suspension on Aug. 3.

What happened after Chandler sent his June 11, 2015 letter will be included in next week's edition.

This story online also includes a complete listing of stories that the Standard Journal has previously completed on the reporting about the Polk County Police Department audit and more.