‘Unacceptable behavior’ prompts VA to suspend senior Atlanta Medical Center police officers

After the FOX 5 I-Team contacted the VA, the agency announced “immediate action to address the challenges at the Atlanta VA Police Department.”

This includes sending a national team “to investigate the situation at the Atlanta Police Department, make recommendations regarding these three individuals, and identify additional changes that may be needed to improve the culture.”

The VA also appointed an acting police chief and a deputy police chief.

“We take these allegations extremely seriously, are investigating them with the utmost vigour and will take appropriate action swiftly,” the VA said in a statement.

When we asked why it took two years for the announced measures to be taken, the agency did not respond.

In response to a text message, McCullor said, “No interview or comment.”

Chief Banks did not respond.

Here is the full statement from VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes in response to our questions about Jackson’s two-year-old complaint:

Due to complaints and allegations of unacceptable conduct by employees at the Atlanta VA Medical Center Police Department, including allegations of sexual assault and harassment, the VA has placed the Chief of Police, Deputy Chief of Police, and Major on stand-down (relieved of police duties and suspended from the department) pending the results of the investigation.

VA does not tolerate sexual assault or harassment. We treat these allegations with the utmost seriousness, investigate them vigorously, and take prompt and appropriate action.

As this investigation progresses, the VA is taking immediate actions to address challenges at the Atlanta VA Police Department, including:

– Sending a national team – including the VA’s chief security officer – to investigate the situation at the Atlanta Police Department, make recommendations regarding these three individuals, and identify other changes that may be needed to improve the culture.

– Immediate appointment of a new leadership team at the Atlanta Police Department. We have appointed the Chief of Police of the VA Southeast Network (VISN 7) as Acting Chief of Police and the Deputy Chief of Police of the Houston VAMC as Acting Deputy.

– We are reviewing our policies and procedures to ensure that our Atlanta employees are held to the highest possible standards of conduct consistent with the VA’s core values ​​and that any issues that arise are promptly responded to and corrected.

In addition, Kai Mentzer, Medical Center Director of the Jackson, MS VA Medical Center, will take office as the new Medical Center Director in Atlanta on June 3, 2024. He will focus – along with other VA leaders – on optimizing operations and culture at the Atlanta VA facility, including within the Police Department.

As always, we strive to create a safe, welcoming and harassment-free environment for veterans and VA employees. All VA employees are encouraged to take the White Ribbon VA Pledge to never commit, excuse or remain silent about sexual harassment, sexual assault or domestic violence against others. We hold our employees to the highest possible standards of ethical conduct and will tolerate nothing less.

We cannot say more at this time as the investigation is still pending, but we will provide you with further updates as they become available.