Former Jonesboro police sergeant says he was fired for speaking against mayor during investigation

JONESBORO, Ga. — Former Jonesboro Police Sergeant Daryll Triplett is calling his termination mere retaliation after his involvement in an investigation into Mayor Donya Sartor.

“I’m duty bound to cooperate in that investigation, I don’t have a choice in the matter,” Triplett said.

Triplett showed Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln the termination letter that alleges Triplett violated department policy by speaking with the news media and publicly criticizing the agency’s policies.

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“What is that putting out to the rest of the employees, that if you go against Donya Sartor, if you say anything against Donya Sartor that she doesn’t like, you’re going to be terminated,” he told Lincoln.

In an interview with Channel 2 Action News last month, Triplett said he was suspended for testifying in an independent investigation into allegations of misconduct by Mayor Sartor.

“She shouldn’t of even had a weapon in the city hall period, period,” he said.

Channel 2 Action News reported on the 47-page investigative report in October. Jonesboro City Council members voted to conduct the independent investigation after several allegations regarding misconduct were made against Mayor Sartor.

One of the allegations involved the mayor having a gun in city hall and pointing it at a police officer. The GBI confirmed with Channel 2 Action News that they found no evidence that backed accusations that Sartor pointed a gun at a Jonesboro police officer.

The Clayton County District Attorney’s Office has declined to file charges against Sartor.

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“Hopefully I’ll just be able to mayor at this point,” Sartor said.

Lincoln spoke with the mayor over the phone on Tuesday. She denied any form of retaliation against Triplett.

“As of now, he is no longer a member of the Jonesboro Police Department. He has the right to due process, just like I have the right to due process,” she said.

Sartor says city council members unlawfully approved the independent investigation. She says the legal cost and the cost of the investigation are costing taxpayers roughly $200,000.

“All we had to do was simply wait for the GBI investigation, and once the GBI’s investigation came out then if you felt on their finding, then you can pursue an administrative investigation,” Sartor said.

Triplett says he’s hired an attorney and plans to take legal action against the city for violation of the State’s Whistleblower Act. A statute that protects government whistleblowers from retaliation.

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