Jonesboro police officer says mayor is retaliating against him for his testimony

JONESBORO, Ga. — A Jonesboro police officer says he’s being retaliated against by the mayor.

Sergeant Daryll Triplett says he was placed on suspension after testifying in an investigation regarding allegations of wrongdoing by the mayor.

Triplett says his suspension is directly related to what he testified about.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The mayor denies his suspension is because he testified.

“She said, ‘Get out of here you’re suspended two days,’” Triplett told Channel 2′s Ashli Lincoln.

Triplett feels his suspension from the Jonesboro Police Department is unwarranted.

“Does this feel like retaliation to you?” Lincoln asked. “It does, it 100% does,” Triplett replied.

Earlier this month he says Mayor Donna Sartor placed him on suspension for testifying as a part of an investigation into allegations of misconduct by Sartor.

“I haven’t violated any oath of office, haven’t done anything illegal or against our policies and procedures, and yet I still stand suspended,” Triplett said.

Channel 2 Action News reported on the 47-page investigation in October.

Some of the allegations include the mayor having a gun in City Hall, using city resources for personal use, and soliciting campaign funds from city employees.

“She’s got the 47-page document and she’s going through it with a highlighter,” Triplett said.

Triplett says Sartor questioned him about the testimony he gave in the report about allegations Sartor solicited him for campaign funds.

“I sent her not one but four email links where she solicited money from myself and my company,” Triplett said.

TRENDING STORIES:

• 4 people shot after someone fires more than 100 rounds into home, DeKalb police say
• Roswell police searching for missing man with dementia
• Fan wins BMW during Atlanta Hawks game

Lincoln spoke with Sartor over the phone where she died any retaliation against Triplett.

She said Triplett was initially placed on a two-day suspension and later placed on administrative leave.

She says his suspension is related to false statements he allegedly made during a part of the administrative investigation.

“When you have things that are not right, I think people should blow the whistle and that keeps us all transparent and above board,” Triplett said.

Sartor is still under investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation related to the gun incident.

She was re-elected recently and will be sworn in for another term in January.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

IN OTHER NEWS:

Video: Suspects break into Atlanta home steal TVs, birth certificate and social security cards

©2023 Cox Media Group