Smyrna Officer Resigns After Police Files Found in Polk County Garage
A Smyrna police officer resigned in December after the security breach in which missing police files were recovered in Polk County.
Smyrna police officer Cpl. Cleveland McDuffie resigned Dec. 21 after some missing Smyrna police files were recovered in a garage in Rockmart in Polk County, reported by The Marietta Daily Journal.
On Nov. 16, authorities found more than 200 pages of printouts and separate items of evidence from cases in a 10-year span at a property formerly owned by Jessica Goggins, a former records clerk for the Smyrna Police Department.
The MDJ reported Saturday that "the files were taken off premises by McDuffie without authorization," and an internal affairs investigation was carried out, followed by McDuffie's resignation.
Smyrna police spokesman Michael Smith told the MDJ that the security breach is isolated, and that McDuffie had violated department policies by bringing police evidence home and later leaving them with a former city employee to burn the mishandled files because he had no place to store old documents.
Cobb County officials say they do not foresee a need to revisit past court cases after the security breach, and the incident will not cost taxpayers money for retrials.
30080
11:14 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
There most likely is an ongoing GBI investigation. It's time for this nonsense to end. Missing files, ticket quotas, money from Glock, Smyrna Public Safety Foundation, how many more questionable activities could the dept. be involved in.
thomas
2:20 pm on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
The department wasn't involved in missing files. One person was in violation of policy and he was fired. Also, if you're going to lob a whole bunch of accusations around you may want to be more specific. And brcause you do have specifics (you do have them right?) I'm sure you'll forward them to the GBI for their consideration.
MS
6:20 pm on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
GBI/FBI have been notified many times. Several ongoing investigations of Smyrna for various activities.
thomas
7:43 pm on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
And your privy to this information how? I wasn't aware that the FBI made a practice of notifying people when they were investigating public officials. If this is the case then someone from the Patch or MDJ should contact the field office and get confirmation.
Smyrnan
10:16 am on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
It's a shame when a citizen has to go before the mayor and council to ask how they're going to address the surge in crime in Smyrna. There's been 2 murders this month, a violent carjacking and a clear rise in crime in the South Cobb area including Smyrna. The demographics are changing!
thomas
2:21 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Totally false. There has not been a single murder in the city of Smyrna this month.
Smyrnan
9:08 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Two murders in a one month period.
Dec. 5th Derrick Williams beat and strangled his wife at the 2200 block of Old Spring Road.
Dec. 31st Robert Anderson was shot and killed at 2145 Kennesaw Way.
2 murders in Smyrna in 1 month is too many. I will not be silent.
thomas
10:25 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
No one is asking you to be silent but I will ask you to be accurate. You said "this month" and this month is January. I agree that two murders in one month is two too many. I ask you how the mayor and council should address the tragedy of a man murdering his wife in their home?