I used to live in Atlanta about 3 years ago. From what I've known of Clayton County, it's not very popular with the brothers, if ya know what I mean. As with the rest of Metro Atlanta (Clayton is one of the metro counties), Clayton County has grown a bit, and has added an influx blacks and hispanics. Hence, it was only a matter of time before a black sherriff was elected.JONESBORO, Georgia (AP) -- On his first day on the job, the new sheriff called 27 employees into his office, stripped them of their badges, fired them, and had rooftop snipers stand guard as they were escorted out the door.
The move Monday by Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill provoked an angry reaction and prompted a judge to order him to rehire the employees.
"It appears ... that employees of the Sheriff were terminated without cause" and in violation of the county's civil service rules, Judge Stephen Boswell wrote in granting a 30-day restraining order.
Hill, 39, defended the firings and said the new sheriff has the right to shake up the department in whatever way he feels necessary. He told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he fired the employees to "maintain the integrity of the department."
"A lot of people are under the impression that the sheriff's office is under civil service laws," he said. "But my research shows the employees work at the pleasure of the sheriff."
Hill used to be a Ga. state representative and an officer in Clayton County. In fact, when he became a state rep he had problems with the former sherriff because he wasn't allowed time off to work in the state legislature. I'm sure the animosity from that played in the decision to run for sherriff, and when he won, fire the hierarchy.
Only problem is, you can't just fire government employees without cause, and that's precisely what he did. Those positions weren't appointments. And considering the continuous shortages for cops all over the nation, where does he think he's going to get the new black cops from? Was he simply planning to hire some buddies of his? This isn't "Walking Tall" and his name isn't Buford Pusser.
As far as I can tell, no charges of corruption or abuse were ever flung at these officers or the former sherriff. And notably, it was the new black county commission chairman - Eldrick Bell - who went to court and filed grievance to get the officers their jobs back. So Hill comes across as a power-hungry bigot.
I'm surprised Michael "da" King hasn't said anything about this yet. He is from around that way.