Georgia police officers in trouble for cursing at students

DALTON, Ga. — Two officers in Dalton are on suspension Wednesday after using profanity to discipline some unruly school children.

Dalton's police chief said he made the incident public because he felt the community needed to know what happened.

A Dalton school bus driver called police because the 50 children on her bus were out of control, causing her to be unable to focus on driving safely.

When veteran officers Steven Collins and John Gurrieri arrived, they began using profane words to discipline the children.

"What if she flips the bus over or hits somebody? You think it's (expletive)?" said Gurrieri.

Outside the bus, investigators said, Collins was swearing at another student who was pulled off the bus, but it was not caught on camera.

Shortly after the incident, Dalton Police Chief Jason Parker said he received a call from a parent who was outraged.

"I was very surprised to hear about this. Certainly, we don't expect this kind of behavior from our officers," said Parker.

The officers will have to complete community service and attend training on verbal communication.

WSBTV