Read more
* 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 ongoing investigations that arose after a Cleveland police officer on Saturday confronted his wife, Cindy Griggs, and Maddux in a parked car in McMinn County.
Steve Crump, 10th Judicial District Attorney General, said in a media release 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 with a Cleveland officer confronting his wife and his police chief sitting together in a parked car in McMinn County and the subsequent arrest of the officer on domestic violence charges; continued Tuesday with the demotion of the police chief and the rearrest of the officer in Bradley County, and included three leaders in quick succession at the beleaguered police department.
Crump said the local agencies investigating various facets of the events met Wednesday to develop a plan to avoid duplication or overlap.
"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."