The police chief suspended for wearing jeans is back in his Wranglers. But he's out of a job.
Jonesboro Mayor Luther Maddox fired the town's police chief Brad Johnson on Thursday, without waiting for the city council's vote. Council members were informed after the firing.
"He absolutely does not have the authority to fire," Johnson said. "If he had the authority, he would've fired me two weeks ago."
Johnson, who served as chief since January, had been with the force more than four years. He was the sixth chief in nine years for the town, located about 15 miles from downtown Atlanta.
Johnson was ordered down to city hall around 4 p.m. Thursday, according to his lawyer Keith Martin. There, Johnson was handed a letter notifying him to clean out his office by 5 p.m.
"He changed into blue jeans and left," Martin said.
Maddox recently suspended Johnson for five days and ordered him to wear an official police uniform, rather than the jeans, tie and jacket he'd been wearing for months.
At a hearing last week, the council voted to cut Johnson's suspension in half.
The city council held a called meeting Tuesday night and also had one planned for Friday to discuss a "personnel matter." The second meeting has been cancelled.
Major Tim Jessup has been named the interim chief, Johnson said.
Johnson said he already had a pair of Wranglers at his office. "They were hanging because I thought they were going to fire me Friday," he said.
Maddox could not be reached for comment.
City council member Roger Grider said the mayor informed him of the firing around 5 p.m.
"It will have to be upheld at the next city council meeting," said Grider, who said he wasn't surprised by the mayor's decision. "We really don't get involved in the day-to-day decisions. That's left up to the mayor."
But another council member, Billy Powell, said the firing came as a surprise.
"This mayor is just totally out of control," Powell said Thursday night from his home. Powell said Jonesboro residents liked Johnson's style as the city's top cop.
"The citizens like him because they can go up and talk to him and not feel intimidated, and Brad will get the job done," Powell said.
A former state patrol officer, Johnson said his law enforcement career likely is over. But he hasn't ruled out running for a city council spot. He said he anticipates that a recall effort to throw Maddox out of office will be under way.
"They're going to have a hard time finding someone that wants to be the chief of police in Jonesboro," Johnson said. "He's going to have to be a 'Yes' man."
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