I-TEAM UPDATE: See how many employees RCSO is losing
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Our I-TEAM is digging more into the incident that, so far, has landed six law enforcement officers behind bars.
Investigators Johnny Atkinson and Austin Birch, l. Daniel D’Aversa, Deputies Dantavion Jones, Melissa Morello and Lt. John Whitaker no longer work for the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
Whitaker had retired by the time he was arrested, but the other five were all fired following their arrests.
READ THE WARRANTS:
This is yet another blow to the already understaffed agency, but it’s also an issue for the public these officers were supposed to protect and serve.
For months now, our I-TEAM has been collecting data from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office about how many deputies are hired and fired every month.
It’s only February, and already, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has fired six people so far in 2024 — a records clerk in January and again, the five deputies tied to the jail incident.
It’s not the best start to the year, but it’s one that seems in line with the database the I-TEAM has been compiling.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office appears to be losing more people than it’s hiring.
In 2023, we found Sheriff Richard Roundtree fired a total of 36 people, and five resigned in lieu of termination, 105 resigned, and 11 retired.
Our I-TEAM found the agency – already in need of more deputies and jailers – ended the year with a net loss of 68.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Warrants detail jail confrontation between deputies, inmates
- Amid jail arrest, cop already faced DUI charge
- Augusta DA responds to Richmond County jail incident emails
- Video sheds light on jail incident that spurred arrests of officers
- A look at the details in recent Richmond County investigators’ arrest
- Richmond County lawmen arrested over use of force at jail
According to our numbers, we found the numbers were better in 2022, but the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office still didn’t grow like it needed to.
It started the year with a net change of zero. That means they ended the year with the same number of people with which they started, despite 115 new hires.
That year, we found the sheriff’s office fired 17 people and allowed two more to resign in lieu of termination. 88 others resigned.
In 2021, 19 were fired, 23 retired, and 143 resigned.
Even with 97 new hires, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office finished the year down 91 positions.
You have to go all the way back to 2020, the first year our I-TEAM started compiling this database, to see a positive number.
We found the sheriff’s office ended 2020 with a net gain of 13 employees. That year, our data shows 13 people were fired and 95 resigned.
SEE THE VIDEO THAT GOT SIX LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARRESTED:
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