DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Two DeKalb County police officers arrested last month after allegedly selling thousands of accident reports have resigned in lieu of termination, the department said.
Nikko McClinton and Ronald Anderson, both nine-year veterans of the department, were arrested Jan. 30 after authorities learned they were selling DeKalb’s crash reports to third parties, agency spokeswoman Michaela Vincent said.
Both men were charged with computer theft and violating their oath of office, jail records show. McClinton also faces one count of bribery.
The criminal investigation was launched after another DeKalb police officer learned of the alleged scheme and alerted investigators, authorities said.
The department said its officers “accessed and sold thousands of motor vehicle accident reports.” The police reports were allegedly sold to “illegal runners” who would solicit clients involved in the crashes and profit off their wrecks.
Both men were placed on administrative leave with pay until their resignations, which the department announced late Friday night on Twitter.
“The DeKalb County Police Department will not tolerate officer misconduct and will take proper action to safeguard the privacy of our citizens and enforce the law,” DeKalb County Police Chief Mirtha Ramos said in a statement.
In 2014, Georgia’s General Assembly passed a bill prohibiting the solicitation or sale of crash information. DeKalb police did not say exactly how many police reports the officers allegedly sold or whether they ended up in the hands of injury lawyers or medical providers.
This article was written by Shaddi Abusaid with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
© 2020 Cox Media Group
