A Paulding County city’s police chief resigned while he and the department were under investigation.

Hiram police Chief Todd Vande Zande offered his resignation before a city council meeting Jan. 30, the city said Tuesday in a statement.

Vande Zande made his resignation effective April 16.

The investigation that began in 2017 involved alleged employee morale issues and employee turnover within the police department, the city said.

Southern Professional Investigations reported at the Jan. 30 meeting that no violations of state, federal or local ordinaces were discoverd.

A final report has yet to be submitted to city council members for consideration.

In other news:

A Louisiana woman left a beautiful handwritten letter to new parents. Jamie Fontenot's father, James Lee Grimmett, died at Lafayette General Hospital Jan. 12. Fontenot wrote the letter to the first new baby born there. New parents Connie Despanie and Benjamin Hall were touched and named their baby Kingston James.

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Linda Tran works with staff to prepare large platters for each table during the Thanksgiving Celebration at the First Senior Center on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in Norcross, Ga. Linda and her sister Von Tran, who jointly operate the First Senior Center, are refugees with a harrowing survival story of leaving Vietnam as children. (Jason Getz / AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

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Atlanta art and antiques appraiser and auctioneer Allan Baitcher (right) takes bids during a 2020 auction. Baitcher and his company, Peachtree Antiques, are being sued by a Florida multimillionaire who says he paid them $20 million for fakes. (AJC 2020)

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