Probe intensifies as DeKalb schools office searched

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By Mike Morris and Kristina Torres

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A probe believed to include allegations of irregularities with DeKalb County school construction contracts appeared to intensify Tuesday.

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Law enforcement officials were at the Tucker offices of the DeKalb County Schools on Tuesday to carry out an investigation into the administrative side of the system.

John Spink, AJC Law enforcement officials were at the Tucker offices of the DeKalb County Schools on Tuesday to carry out an investigation into the administrative side of the system.

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John Spink, AJC Workers leave the Tucker offices of the DeKalb County school district on Tuesday as investigators search the building.

Photos: Search at DeKalb school system office

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Investigators with DeKalb's district attorney's office served a search warrant in the morning at the building that houses the office of chief operating officer Patricia Pope, who oversees the system's $466 million construction program. Orzy Theus, a spokesman for District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming, also announced that the GBI will assist in the case, although he did not elaborate.

Theus said the actions were "part of an ongoing investigation into the administrative side" of the school system.

Theus and the DA's office previously confirmed that county investigators were reviewing findings from an internal review involving Pope. School system officials handed over findings from the review last winter, asking that "a few things" be looked into and whether a criminal investigation was warranted, Keyes Fleming's spokeswoman said at the time.

In December, school system police officers and information systems employees examined records from Pope’s office and also interviewed several employees who work under Pope.

DeKalb school officials including Superintendent Crawford Lewis have confirmed in general that a review was done, but they have not commented further because they said it involved a personnel matter. On Tuesday, system spokesman Dale Davis issued a statement that said system officials would cooperate fully with the DA and that the search warrant "had no effect on local school operations."