Investigators from the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office took a part-time parks employee into custody this afternoon, after spending three hours questioning her and searching through her office and files.
Shirley Harland, 58, was charged with three felonies for falsifying community service records, taking a $40 bribe from an undercover agent to do so, according to arrest warrants filed in DeKalb Superior Court. Officials would not comment further, citing an ongoing investigation.
A self-described volunteer coordinator, Harland oversees volunteers and those the court assigns to community service work. Harland refused to address why she was being taken into custody as investigators led her from her office to an awaiting police car.
“They know. Ask them,” Harland said of DA investigators. “You’ll get the lowdown later.”
About a half dozen investigators showed up on the third floor of the Maloof government building about an hour into the workday today, surprising staff and visitors alike.
When they escorted Harland out to a waiting police car hours later, investigators carried several boxes of files and papers with them.
A spokesman for the district attorney would not comment on the charges against Harland or potentially others, saying only that the investigation is not done.
“There could be more people charged, but it would be premature at this point to say for sure,” Erik Burton said. “There are some things we’d like to keep close to the vest at this point of our investigation.”
Harland, in between no-comments as she was being taken away, said she had worked for the county for nearly seven years.
She said she was cooperating with investigators. Burke Brennan, a spokesman for the county, said all staff had similarly been instructed to help with the investigation in any way needed.
Harland is related to former DeKalb Deputy Police Chief Donald E. Frank, who was indicted last year on federal charges of soliciting and accepting bribes, according to county workers who asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to talk to the media. Harland refused to answer reporters' questions about whether Frank is a relative.
Harland is expected to have a first-appearance in DeKalb County Magistrate Court either late today or early Thursday.
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