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Georgia town loses entire police force in one night

Milner officers and city manager resign over secret GPS tracker and mayor's conduct, the accused mayor keeps the sole authority to rebuild the department

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Georgia police chief accuses city hall of secretly tracking his vehicle during council meeting Georgia police chief accuses city hall of secretly tracking his vehicle during council meeting foxnews.com
A black City of Milner police SUV with blue lettering, a blue stripe and white stars is parked outdoors in Georgia. A black City of Milner police SUV with blue lettering, a blue stripe and white stars is parked outdoors in Georgia. foxnews.com
Six people pose beneath a Milner Police Department tent at an outdoor event, with a Lamar County Sheriff's Office vehicle parked behind them. Six people pose beneath a Milner Police Department tent at an outdoor event, with a Lamar County Sheriff's Office vehicle parked behind them. foxnews.com
A light blue water tower rises above basketball courts and a parking lot in Milner, Georgia. A light blue water tower rises above basketball courts and a parking lot in Milner, Georgia. foxnews.com

The entire full-time police force of Milner, Georgia, plus most of its part-time volunteer officers, resigned Monday night — and the town's city manager, Tausha Grose, announced her own resignation in the same council meeting.

Police Chief Lamar Bunn told the council that city hall had secretly placed a tracking device on his truck, bought with personal funds and installed without the knowledge of the council or his supervisor. Bunn, who said he has given 15 to 16 years to the Lamar County sheriff's office and whose father policed the area in 1974, said he had also been falsely accused of an affair with the city manager. His resignation letter cited "fundamental differences regarding leadership, governance, and ethical alignment" and said decisions within city leadership on "legal compliance, ethical standards, and core values" had compromised his ability to perform his duties with integrity.

Captain Craig Walton went further in his own letter, demanding that residents and council members pursue an independent investigation into the conduct of Mayor Craig Timmons — including potential violations of his oath of office or of city employees' rights. Timmons acknowledged the concerns at the meeting and said he hopes the situation can be resolved.

The town had already been fighting over police overtime and a proposal to bar officers from using city vehicles for part-time work, though officials said those disputes were not the stated reason for the resignations.

The structure of the collapse is the story. Every officer walked, the manager walked, and the mayor at the center of the allegations retains his office. A town of Milner's size now purchases emergency coverage by the hour from county and state resources that were never budgeted for it — or adjusts to not calling anyone. Accountability in a small town runs through a handful of people who all know each other; when they conclude the top of the chain is the problem, the only exit is the door.

Timmons, whose alleged conduct emptied the department, remains the one official with the authority to appoint its replacement.