COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — The former College Park police chief is calling for an independent investigation into what she describes as unethical behavior and political interference by city leaders.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Connie Rogers resigned from her position in the early morning hours of Dec. 9, before city officials could terminate her, Channel 2 Action News learned. Until now, many residents said they had no idea why she stepped down.
Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes obtained a grievance filed by Rogers after submitting an open records request. She says she did not receive the document through the city but obtained it independently. In the grievance, Rogers alleges a “sustained pattern of inappropriate pressures, unethical directives, and politically motivated interference” from certain members of the College Park City Council while she was performing her duties as police chief.
“I believe they have an ultimate agenda that is not in the best interest of College Park or its citizens,” Rogers said during a phone interview with Channel 2 Action News on Tuesday.
Rogers claims the issues began after new city council members were elected in 2024. She says when she refused to comply with certain requests, city leaders attempted to retaliate against her and force her out.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Longtime Atlanta priest dies from complications with the flu
- Former head of program to help low-income people with housing pleads guilty in RICO scheme
- Claudette Colvin, who refused to move seats on a bus at start of civil rights movement, dies at 86
Longtime College Park resident James Walker says concerns about transparency and accountability within city government have been growing for months. Walker helps run a Facebook group called “Speak Up College Park,” where residents frequently discuss delayed responses to open records requests.
“We’ve had certain open records requests delayed for months. I’m talking about eight, nine, ten months,” Walker said. “We just want good governance and transparency so developers and builders will want to invest in the city and make things better for residents.”
City officials dispute Rogers’ claims. College Park Councilwoman Jamelle McKenzie provided Channel 2 Action News with a statement saying, in part, that Rogers “resigned without formally presenting her grievances in a manner that would have allowed them to be reviewed or proactively addressed by the City Manager or the governing body.”
Despite the disagreement, College Park Mayor Bianca Motley Broom is now requesting an independent investigation into Rogers’ allegations. According to Fernandes, Rogers is one of three former city leaders in the last 90 days to call for outside scrutiny of the city’s leadership.
Channel 2 Action News has reached out to city officials for further comment and will continue to follow developments.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]