Rossville police officer dismissed after social media post

A Rossville police officer’s social media post has cost him his job and generated public outrage.

Robert “Skipper” Dunn, a part-time officer, shared a post June 15 referring to the 2016 home invasion and murder of 83-year-old Dorothy “Dot” Dow. The post featured mugshots of the five people convicted of the crime, who are black, and a caption, “I think a hanging is in order.”

Dunn’s post, made on his personal Facebook page, has since been deleted.

Dave Scroggins with the Rossville Police Department,

in a media statement, said Dunn will no longer perform duties with the Rossville Police Department.

“It is important that everyone understand Officer Dunn certainly enjoys the First Amendment Right to post his opinions,” Scroggins said. “However, when those posts or opinions detract from his ability to effectively serve the community it is in the best interest of the community that he no longer be assigned those duties.”

Dunn worked for the Rossville Police Department for a few years. Before his retirement, he was previously employed by the Lafayette Police

Department, where he served as school resource officer at Lafayette High School, and he had also served as deputy police chief.

Police said five attackers broke into Dow’s home in Meriwether County, Georgia, in 2016 in search of money they believed was in the home. They broke both of her arms, beat her severely, poured a flammable liquid on her and set fire to her. She died three and a half weeks later from her injuries.

Four of the attackers were sentenced to prison for life; two of them were sentenced without the possibility of parole. The remaining attacker received a seven-year sentence.