By Suzie Ziegler
GRANTVILLE, Ga. — T.J. Boyd works for the Grantville Police Department. He has worn the uniform, carried a gun and driven a department patrol car. But Boyd is not a police officer and has no law enforcement training. Instead, he’s a police chaplain and the police chief’s pastor. And he’s a convicted felon.
The scenario came to light this week after a former Grantville officer tipped off a local news station. That officer, who asked to stay anonymous, says he saw Boyd driving a department patrol car. The former officer took pictures of Boyd and shared them with Channel 2 Action News.
“I saw T.J. Boyd get out of the car. My jaw dropped. I’m like, ‘Why is he in a police car?’” the former officer told Channel 2. “You know, a citizen could have needed help and he wouldn’t be able to respond properly.”
Apparently, it was the chief’s idea.
“I handed him the keys myself. Yes, sir,” Chief Steve Whitlock told Channel 2 reporter Justin Gray.
“Can you see where there’d be confusion?” Gray asked in the report.
“Yes, sir. I do. But I still see nothing wrong with it. He helps us on any kind of activities we need. So, I don’t think there’s a problem with it,” Whitlock said.
According to Whitlock, the City of Grantville had been contracted to provide two off-duty officers to work security for a film production. They were an officer short, so Whitlock allowed Boyd to fill in. Boyd was carrying his own firearm, Whitlock said. Boyd was convicted for making and distributing meth, according to Channel 2.
“The man knows that he’s not a police officer. At no time was anybody ever told that he was a police officer,” Whitlock said.
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An investigation is now underway by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, a state office that certifies and disciplines police officers, according to Channel 2.
“Everything about this is concerning,” said Mike Ayers, director of Georgia POST. “I think that this is one of those instances where, quite frankly, we got lucky nothing bad did happen.”
Ayers said a POST investigator met with Whitlock to advise him that it was inappropriate for Boyd to appear as a police officer. Ayers said he believes the situation has “been resolved at this point,” but said further action could be taken later if the issue continues.
When asked by Channel 2 if he would do something like this again, Whitlock responded, “Yes, sir. I would.”