Cobb County authorities are asking for further investigation into a controversial incident in which a white police officer reportedly told a black driver that he didn't "care about your people."
In a statement emailed Monday, Cobb County Department of Public Safety Director Sam D. Heaton said he and the county manager have asked “for an independent investigation by the County Attorney’s Office of all matters” connected to the Nov. 16 traffic stop on Mableton Parkway.
Brian Baker, a 33-year-old middle school teacher, was pulled over on Mableton Parkway for allegedly speeding and failure to maintain his lane. Cobb police have acknowledged that Lawson violated department policy, and reduced the two tickets Baker received that night to warnings, according to Baker’s attorney, Kimberly Bandoh.
Heaton said the aftermath of the incident — during which Officer Maurice Lawson was reassigned to a different precinct — represented “a breakdown in communication with the command staff of the Police Department and the complaint processes that were followed during the investigation.”
Heaton said focuses of the new investigation will include decisions made during the initial investigative process, proper notification of department and county leaders, and the handling of dash camera videos.
In the statement, Heaton called the incident “an isolated occurrence and not indicative of a department wide problem.”
The police department previously issued a letter of apology to Baker, dated Nov. 24 and written by Capt. J.D. Adcock. He said Lawson’s conduct “is not now nor will ever be tolerated.”
Bandoh, Baker’s attorney, said Monday afternoon, “I appreciate the transparency and efficiency in which Captain Adcock handled the situation, including personally apologizing to Mr. Baker upon the conclusion of their internal investigation sustaining the complaint against Officer Lawson.”
—Staff writer Dan Klepal contributed to this article.
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