Georgia Police Department suspends entire force and fires chief

WARM SPRINGS, Georgia – A Georgia city has fired its police chief and suspended the entire police department pending an ongoing investigation.

The city of Warm Springs in Meriwether County about an hour south of Atlanta announced in a press release Wednesday that it had suspended its entire police force and Police Chief Emilio Quintana.

The entire department, with the exception of the newly appointed interim police chief, Aisha Al-Khalifa, has been administratively suspended, the city said.

The city stated that the “decisive action” was taken by “initiating a comprehensive department-wide investigation.”

“The decision to fire Chief Quintana and suspend the police force was made after careful review of recent events and emerging concerns regarding conduct and operations within the department. The investigation is aimed at ensuring the integrity and accountability of our police officers and restoring public confidence in the Warm Springs Police Department,” the release said.

Al-Khalifa will oversee Warm Springs police operations while the community continues to receive critical police services with the help of police departments from neighboring counties. The city said it will keep residents updated on important updates regarding the investigation.

“Our most important commitment is to the safety and well-being of our community,” said Warm Springs Mayor Robyn Pyneburg. “We take these matters very seriously and will conduct a thorough investigation to resolve any issues within our police department. We ask for the community’s patience and support as we work toward transparency and justice.”

The population of the city is 450.

11Alive is working to find out more about what led to the police chief’s firing and suspension from police service.