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* Mark Gibson named interim Cleveland, TN police chief* TBI investigating Cleveland police officer Jeff Griggs case* Cleveland Police Officer Jeff Griggs arrested for the second time in four days* Cleveland police chief demoted to former post without investigation* Police chief was kissing cop's wife in car, divorce complaint states* Altercation with officer prompts removal of Cleveland, TN police chief after only one day on the job* Cop arrested after he took photos of wife with police chief* New police chief named in Cleveland
The Cleveland Police Department has placed Capt. Dennis Maddux on paid administrative leave, according to a news release.
At the same time, the district attorney's office has agreed to coordinate the multiple investigations that arose after Maddux was confronted Saturday by a Cleveland police officer while sitting in a parked car with the officer's wife in McMinn County.
Steve Crump, 10th Judicial District Attorney General, said in a media release Thursday that his office will coordinate ongoing investigations by the TBI and the McMinn and Bradley County sheriff's offices.
At the same time, Crump said, the Cleveland department has asked his office to conduct an internal affairs investigation "relating to all of the events of the past week."
Those events began Saturday when officer Jeff Griggs found his wife, Cindy, and acting Police Chief Dennis Maddux and took photos of them kissing, Griggs said in divorce papers. Cindy Griggs, who jumped in her husband's truck and wrestled away the memory card from his camera, had her husband arrested on domestic violence charges.
On Monday, Cleveland City Manager Janice Casteel voided Maddux's appointment as permanent police chief, which had lasted just one day. She said she would lead the police department while forming a committee to restructure it, and that Capt. Mark Gibson would be her day-to-day liaison in the department.
Then, Tuesday night, Griggs was again arrested in Bradley County, this time for violating an order of protection filed by his wife. She found him at the couple's home on Chestuee Road.
The next day, Crump asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to look into the case, as well. And Casteel made Gibson the acting chief after Tennessee's Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission told her she couldn't lead the department herself because she's not a sworn officer.
Crump said the local agencies investigating various facets of the events met Wednesday to develop a plan to avoid duplication or overlap in their cases.
"Each agency will continue to independently complete investigations of their particular matters, but will communicate with each other so as to prevent unneeded duplication of tasks," he said.
He also said the internal affairs investigation "will be kept separate and apart from the ongoing criminal investigations and the findings or results of the internal affairs investigation will be presented to the Cleveland Police Department and the city manager and city attorney for their consideration and action."