The Euharee police chief and an assistant were fired Friday, one day after their arrests for alleged double-dipping between the city and the Bartow County school system, the town’s mayor said.
Chief Terry Harget and Assistant Chief Richard Smith were charged with theft of government funds and violation of their oaths of office, the GBI said. Bartow County District Attorney Rosemary Greene asked to GBI to investigate the alleged wrongdoings, GBI spokeswoman Sherry Lang said.
Both men were also employed by the Bartow County School District as crossing guards, and the GBI investigation “revealed that Harget and Smith were being paid for performing the off duty assignment while also receiving on duty pay from the City of Euharlee,” Lang said in an email.
Harget and Smith were booked into jail Thursday and later released on bond. Thursday night, the Euharlee City Council and mayor held an emergency meeting to name an interim chief.
Former Atlanta and Cobb County police officer Lee Hired was hired as the interim chief Thursday night, Channel 2 Action News reported.
“I’m confident Chief New will do a superb job, and while this is maybe a speed bump for the city, it will not decrease or diminish our police department,” Mayor Dennis Thayer said.
Thayer said Harget and Smith were expected to resign. Friday afternoon, the mayor said the two had been terminated.
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