ATLANTA (July 15, 2014) | Sen. Vincent Fort (D- Atlanta) has sent the following letter to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vernon Keenan asking him to investigate the entire Thomaston Police Department in light of grievances filed against Officer Phillip Tobin and other law enforcement officials:
Dear Director Keenan:
I have previously requested that you investigate the actions of Officer Phillip Tobin regarding the incident of June 11th when Tobin tased Kelcey Rockmore. After a community meeting on July 8th where testimony was given by many Thomaston residents, I am requesting that you widen your investigation to include the entirety of the Thomaston Police Department.
After hearing the testimony of last week it is clear that there is a pattern of misconduct that has been perpetrated by, not only Officer Tobin, but other officers in the Thomaston Police Department as well. It is clear that superiors in the Thomaston Police Department have known of this misconduct and have not acted to correct it.
In addition, a television report by WXIA (http://www.11alive.com/story/news/local/2014/07/08/thomaston-officer-hearing/12391827/) television revealed that there was a memo sent to Chief Dan Greathouse in 2008 by an officer saying that if Tobin was not restrained then he would put the department at risk of great liability. The letter said, “If we do not do something about Officer Tobin, then we could be guilty of negligent supervision.
I am sending a DVD of the July 8th hearing along with this letter.
Sincerely
Senator Vincent D. Fort
39th Senatorial District
For Immediate Release:
July 15, 2014
For Information Contact:
Jennifer Yarber, Director
Adam Sweat, Sr. Communications Specialist
adam.sweat@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028