The Ringgold (Georgia) City Council has addressed several issues with its police department and its city charter that came to light after the former chief of police resigned publicly and claimed the city manager put a tracking device on his patrol car.
At Monday’s meeting, the council voted unanimously to change a section of the city’s charter that requires a unanimous vote to remove a city manager. It also agreed to consider raising the salary for part-time officers, improving the department’s health insurance package and adding to the department’s fleet of vehicles.
Former police Chief Dan Bilbrey gave a passionate speech in January about how his department is underfunded, overlooked and how morale with his employees was consistently low.
A week later, Bilbrey told the Times Free Press that Ringgold’s city manager, Dan Wright, put a tracking device on his car without his knowledge. Wright declined to comment on the allegation.
The internal investigation looked at budgetary concerns, tracker placement procedures, equipment and vehicles, compensation and benefits and usable space in the police department.