THOMASVILLE — A position described in a memo from a Thomasville Police Department (TPD) officer on administrative leave to the mayor is designed to eliminate the police chief position, according to Moultrie attorney Robert Howell.

Howell represents TPD Chief Troy Rich and the agency’s command staff in ongoing legal matters against the mayor and Thomasville City Council.  

Waylon Parker, the officer on leave, sent a memo — obtained through an open records request — to the mayor on Feb. 12. The memo states a public safety director “will investigate and resolve complaints/grievances involving public safety employees, to include department heads. Employee will review budget and equipment requests to determine validity.”

Under the memo’s provisions, applicants for public safety director must be willing to submit to a voice stress analysis and a psychological evaluation, have excellent interpersonal skills, be comfortable with public speaking and demonstrate on- and off-duty conduct that does not bring discredit to the city.

Parker wrote an 11-page letter disparaging the police chief and the TPD command staff. According to Howell’s June letter to city officials, Mayor Greg Hobbs “ordered and directed” Parker to write the 11-page letter in December 2017, and Hobbs distributed the letter to specific city council members and council members-elect in early January. 

“The email correspondence between Parker and Hobbs provides clear evidence of Hobbs’ intent to eliminate Chief Rich’s position and effectively secure his termination,” Howell said Tuesday. “That was also, we contend, the purpose behind the false and defamatory letter that Hobbs directed Parker to write, which was circulated and published throughout the community by Hobbs and other council members.

“It is crystal clear,” Howell added, “that Hobbs has tried to ruin Chief Rich and others under his command by harming their reputations and defaming them in the community, and when that did not bring about the desired result fast enough, by then seeking ways to eliminate the chief’s position entirely. We continue to look forward to exposing these multiple layers of deceitful and corrupt behavior, all of which directly violated Georgia law and the City of Thomasville’s charter.”

Hobbs did not respond to a request for comment.

Kha McDonald, interim city manager since Jan. 1, said she was never involved in discussions regarding a public safety director.

Parker has been on administrative leave with pay since Feb. 19.

An Aug. 13 letter from the police chief to McDonald — also obtained through an open records request — states that Parker was notified Feb. 1 that a complaint had been made him against him by seven TPD senior staff members for conduct unbecoming an officer, insubordination, public criticism and failing to follow grievance procedures.

Rich’s letter stated that Parker was notified about the complaint on Feb. 2 and was given specific instructions not to discuss the investigation with anyone. To do so would be grounds for immediate termination, the letter continued.

The public safety director job description memo to Hobbs is evidence Parker “is indirectly discussing this investigation and is in clear violation of insubordination,” the chief’s letter stated.

The letter continues that through an open records request, Rich obtained a Feb. 22  email that revealed a conversation between McDonald and the city council in which Hobbs denies telling Parker to write a slanderous 11-page document or interfering with staff.

“This comment made by the mayor is extremely alarming since he was in discussion with Parker about the public safety director position,” Rich’s letter stated, “which is clear evidence of involving himself with staff and a violation of our charter.”

Rich also obtained an April 7 email from Parker to Hobbs and Council member David Hufstetler discussing the “ ‘interview.’ “ His letter to McDonald states that Parker shared confidential internal interview investigation information with Hobbs and Hufstetler via email.

It is “very clear,” Rich wrote, that Hobbs and Parker conspired to develop an executive position of public safety director.

“This is an obvious attempt to insert a new senior staff direct report in a position that is a higher ranking executive position than the chief the of police or fire chief. … It is quite obvious the underlying objective here was in an attempt to give someone the authority to terminate the chief of police and the TPD command staff,” the chief’s letter stated.

Rich’s letter also stated Hobbs knowingly inserted himself into the retaliation, since he knew it would be exposed in the investigation of what the chief’s missive to McDonald said is a slanderous letter.

“It is clear they wanted this complaint investigation stopped, which is further evidence of obstructing an internal investigation of policy violations by (Waylon) Parker,” according to Rich’s letter.

Hobbs’ directive is “a gross violation of the city charter, since he gave a direct order to a subordinate staff member to develop a job description, the letter stated.

According to Rich’s letter, It is obvious there has been collusion between Parker and Hobbs to undermine the city charter, city policies, to retaliate against TPD senior staff members and the role of interim city manager.

Rich, citing a number of reasons and grounds, called for Parker’s immediate termination.

McDonald said the chief’s letter was forwarded to the city attorney for review and counsel.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820