Metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta

Hiram police chief resigns while under investigation

Through a tip and an open records request, Channel 2's Nicole Carr discovered Police Chief Todd Vande is on his way out amid a private investigation into his department's operations.
By Ellen Eldridge
Feb 7, 2018

A Paulding County city’s police chief resigned while he and the department were under investigation.

Hiram police Chief Todd Vande Zande offered his resignation before a city council meeting Jan. 30, the city said Tuesday in a statement.

Vande Zande made his resignation effective April 16.

VIDEO: Atlanta police officer accused of using racial, homophobic slurs

The investigation that began in 2017 involved alleged employee morale issues and employee turnover within the police department, the city said.

Southern Professional Investigations reported at the Jan. 30 meeting that no violations of state, federal or local ordinaces were discoverd.

A final report has yet to be submitted to city council members for consideration.

In other news:

A Louisiana woman left a beautiful handwritten letter to new parents. Jamie Fontenot's father, James Lee Grimmett, died at Lafayette General Hospital Jan. 12. Fontenot wrote the letter to the first new baby born there. New parents Connie Despanie and Benjamin Hall were touched and named their baby Kingston James.

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