Former College Park police chief seeks investigation into alleged political pressure

The former police chief of College Park is calling for an investigation into allegations of pressure and coercion to force her to inappropriately fire employees.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the former chief, Connie Rogers, sent a grievance letter to City Council members and other city officials on Jan. 8 outlining the alleged misconduct.

“These directives were driven by political influence rather than operational necessity or performance concerns,” Rogers wrote. “This grievance also serves as formal notice of my intent to protect my rights under federal and state employment law, including those enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.”

Rogers, who resigned in December, claims that she faced “politically motivated interference” in her position as police chief to fire members of her staff and to rehire a retired officer “solely due to his political influence with certain City Council members, disregarding department needs, proper hiring procedures and fairness to existing staff.”

The letter omits who allegedly pressured Rogers in these decisions, and the AJC reports it is unclear whether anyone lost their position as a result.

“Allegations of this nature are serious, and established processes exist to ensure concerns can be evaluated appropriately and responsibly,” council member Jamelle McKenzie said in her email.