Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill said Monday he will allow Clayton police detectives inside the jail to interview suspects, a practice he banned last week.

Hill justified the ban by saying police had refused his request for burglary statistics.

Clayton police Chief Jeff Turner said he is not overly optimistic the confrontation is over. Turner said Friday he planned to ask the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and state Department of Justice for help in reversing Hill's March 26 ban order.

"We haven't put it to the test yet," Turner said. "We will be sending detectives to the jail to test it. If Hill continues to obstruct justice, I will be making a call."

Hill sent Turner a letter Monday reversing his decision and asking that visiting detectives fill out a "confirmation of cooperation" form to show they were allowed to interview suspects. Turner said that will not happen.

"We don't need to sign a form to show he's doing his job," Turner said.

Hill said he wants to form a burglary task force although Clayton police has detectives working those crimes.

Clayton is one of 13 counties in Georgia with both a sheriff's office and county police agency. The Clayton Sheriff's Office has traditionally operated the jail, served warrants and maintained the courthouse, although the state Constitution allows the sheriff to investigate cases.

Turner said Monday he has about 2,000 pages of information from burglaries over the past six months that Hill can have, and that the information has always been available.

"I have never denied him access to anything," Turner said.

Clayton sheriff's spokesman Jonathan Newton said, "We have no comment."