Friday, May 21, 2004

Fairburn police chief told to clean up department By LINDSAY BIANCHI lbianchi@TheCitizenNews.com The unrest in the Fairburn Police department continues. City administrator Jim Williams recently announced that Police Chief Frederick Brown was told to clean up some of the problems in the department in 60 days. Meanwhile, the city is still waiting to hear from the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission about a complaint a police officer filed with the the anti-discriminatory agency. Officer Mary Louise Tallman alerted the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission about the actions of Sergeant James Smith, said Williams. But in a classic case of Òhe said, she said, Smith places the blame on the hiring of Major Daniel Crawford and his subsequent policies as the root of his own unwanted behavior. Williams said Tallman's refusal to help officers during an arrest in the Lightning community as she stood with her hands in her pockets did not sit well with Smith. Smith and Officer Tallman were eventually separated because of the continued complaints which led to the EEOC's involvement. Smith was reassigned to City Hall as a code enforcement officer. Former Fairburn Police Major Daniel Crawford asserts that he was a victim of small town politics when he was asked to resign earlier this year. Williams said he spoke with Crawford after word reached him concerning unfair scheduling practices at the police department. Crawford was given an example by Williams of how the work hours were to be set up in the future. According to WIlliams, the suggested schedule was tossed into the garbage and the old scheduling left in place. One dispatcher, who had been with the department for years resigned after enduring a six day, third shift spot. The uniform division, which Crawford headed, used a traffic enforcement unit as well to tie up the availability of officers, Williams added. With rookies being given preference over older officers, a stream of complaints began flowing into City Hall. Williams said the unit was disbanded in part because speed traps were being set up on the short stretch of Interstate 85 that passes through Fairburn and thatÕs not the message Fairburn wants to send.