The Grantville police chief has resigned after the city mayor confronted him about sending text messages laced with profanity and a racial slur.
Doug Jordan, 61, who was hired as an investigator in 2011 and ascended to chief within 10 months, resigned this week after Mayor Jim Sells suspended him.
“It was just completely unacceptable language for anyone, much less for a supervisor,” said Sells, 64. “Lots of profanity and in one text he was referring to someone in a fight with the N word.”
Sells suspended the chief last week pending action by the city council. The 5-member city council of the small Coweta County town often is split racially on votes but the mayor — a landlord and retired Delta Airlines pilot — said he believed the majority white council would have sacked Jordan this week if he had not resigned.
“I don’t think he would have survived any discussion by the council,” Sells said. “The N word is over the top but all of it was an indication that this was unacceptable leadership of our police officers.”
The chief apologized individually to the 23-member staff at City Hall, Sells said.
Attempts to reach Jordan for comment were unsuccessful.
“The chief has been very humble. He has accepted full responsibility,” Sells said.
The state police training board confirmed Jordan resigned.
Sells, who has been mayor for three years, said the town of about 3,100 people, 12 miles south of Newnan, is going through a turbulent time in terms of leadership.
The council unanimously fired the city manager six weeks ago for job performance, said Sells, who has been doubling as manager on his $300 monthly mayoral salary.
“We have our hands full in Grantville, Georgia,” Sells said. “We’ve had a tough time down here lately.”
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