Deputy found in policy violations loses job

A publicly un-identified deputy sheriff is out of a job in Stephens County, Georgia after the county sheriff determined he violated policies.  The sheriff’s office conducted an internal investigation after a letter to a newspaper described the deputy as having repeatedly cursed a bicycle rider who was a pulled over for riding his bike on the wrong side of the road.  The letter writer, Buster Smith, claims the deputy turned off his body camera, although Smith said he wanted to be recorded.  Randy Shirley, the county sheriff, said in a statement:  “My office was able to conclude the investigation on Thursday, October 28, and submitted the internal report with the findings.  The findings were that this deputy violated multiple policies and acted in a way that is detrimental to the standards of this office.  As a result of these findings, the deputy’s employment was immediately terminated.”  Shirley also lamented that the deputy’s behavior casts doubt in the community and has negatively impacted his co-workers.  Said Shirley:  “I am deeply saddened by this, and I hope that our citizens recognize that the actions of a single individual do not reflect the morality of a whole profession.”