A former Forsyth County deputy is claiming that he was “wrongfully terminated” after Sheriff Ron Freeman accused him of misconduct near two elementary schools.
Todd Franklin was fired earlier this year after his supervisors said an internal probe revealed a pattern of “egregious behavior,” AJC.com previously reported. He was accused of repeatedly failing to show up for work and watching pornography at least once while on the job.
On Monday, Franklin’s attorney Grant Mannion released a statement that said the former deputy is disputing the investigation’s findings.
“The statement made by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office in regard to Mr. Franklin’s alleged misconduct does not reflect the truth of the matter at issue,” the statement said. “Mr. Franklin did not engage in any illegal, immoral or wrongful conduct in the performance of his duties as a deputy officer.”
The investigation began after the sheriff’s office received complaints from the county’s school district that Franklin consistently failed to show up for his extra job direction traffic outside his assigned schools, records show. The names of the elementary schools were redacted in a copy of the investigation obtained by AJC.com.
That investigation found the former deputy billed taxpayers for three days that he never went to the schools. But Mannion pushed back on that accusation.
“As a school resource officer, Mr. Franklin performed his duty to protect the schoolchildren of Forsyth County with dedication and an exemplary spirit of kindness, cheerfulness, and compassion,” the statement said.
Authorities said a search of Franklin’s county-issued cellphone uncovered an explicit exchange of photos and text messages between him and a woman with whom he was having an affair. According to sheriff’s office records, Franklin inappropriately used his work phone both on and off duty for at least six months leading up to his firing.
A review of his body camera footage also showed Franklin viewing adult videos and watching a “Star Wars” movie in his squad car while on duty, the sheriff’s office said. When questioned about the explicit video, Franklin reportedly told his supervisors he was investigating allegations that an underage girl was featured on the porn website.
“When someone acts as this former employee did, they lose their right to work alongside those deputies and employees who serve with such distinction and heroism daily,” the sheriff’s office said in a prior statement. “The sheriff has made it expressly clear that unethical, illegal or immoral acts will lead to termination from this agency ... There is no room for this conduct here, and the men and women of FCSO, as well as our citizens, deserve better.”
Mannion said Franklin is appealing the sheriff’s decision to fire him.
“Because this matter is subject to ongoing litigation, and without addressing any specific allegations of misconduct, Mr. Franklin is confident that his professional reputation will be vindicated when all of the relevant facts come to light and the truth is made known,” the attorney’s statement concluded.
According to Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training records, the former deputy worked for the department since January 2014. He joined the sheriff’s office after voluntarily resigning from the DeKalb County Police Department, where he worked from 2008 to 2013, records show.
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