Two part-time officers with the Trenton City Police Department resigned after Police Commissioner Mike Norris testified as a character witness for the Defense during a trial for Obstruction of a Law Enforcement Officer.
Police Officer Chad Payne spoke to the Trenton City Commission during their November meeting and gave an explanation of events and the reasons he, along with Officer Casey York, were resigning. Payne was one of the officers, along with Dade County Sheriff’s Deputies, who responded to a Domestic Disturbance call involving the son of Danny Hall after multiple 911 calls. When they arrived on scene, Hall allegedly got physical with law enforcement during their attempt to arrest Hall’s son.
York, who was not present during the incident or at trial, said based on the incident reports and eyewitness testimony, he was choosing to resign with Payne as Hall had willfully obstructed a lawful arrest.
“I just couldn’t work underneath him,” York said of Norris. “I won’t work underneath him.”
Hall was found guilty on Obstruction charges by the jury.
Norris, a former law enforcement officer and detective with the City of Trenton, said his testifying as a character witness on behalf of Hall was personal and had nothing to do with the police department or his elected position of Police Commissioner.
Norris submitted this statement:
“In the most recent monthly Commissioner meeting for the City of Trenton, GA, a notable development occurred as Police Commissioner Norris found himself at the center of attention. During the meeting two part time officers chose to resign in protest, citing personal objections related to Commissioner Norris.
The crux of the matter revolves around a misdemeanor case wherein Commissioner Norris was called upon to act as a character witness for a longstanding friend within the community. It I’d important to emphasize that the Commissioner’s involvement was not intended to undermine the Dade County Sheriff’s Office or Trenton Police Department but rather to provide testimony in support of his friend’s character and lifelong dedication to law enforcement and to the community itself.
The resigning officers made it clear that their decision to step down was driven by personal reservations about Commissioner Norris rather than any dissatisfaction with the policies or practices of the Trenton Police Department. This divergence of opinions underscores the complexities that can arise when personal and professional relationships intersect.
Commissioner Norris maintains that his intention in testifying was solely to vouch for the character of a friend well-known in the community. He emphasizes that the act was not meant to compromise the integrity of the legal proceedings but rather to offer insight into the individual’s character based on personal knowledge.
The Commissioner acknowledges the resignations of the two part time officers and expresses regret that their disagreement with his actions led to their decision to step down. He affirms his commitment to the Trenton Police Department and the community it serves, assuring residents that he will continue to fulfill his duties with dedication and professionalism.”
Parks and Recreation reported the city civic center was rented 60 hours in October. Animal Control handled 6 work orders and complaints and one county bite call.
City Inspectors completed six electrical inspections, two HVAC inspections, and two plumbing inspections with four remodels, one remodeling plan review, one garage addition, one new construction, and one new commercial building.
The Trenton Fire Department did two fire extinguisher trainings and fire prevention week activities with Head Start, Sweet Pea’s Learning Center, and Pre-K at Dade Elementary. They had nine fire-related calls, three traffic accidents, 23 medical calls, 16 standby’s, and 32 dispatched and then canceled in route in the month of October for a total of 83 calls.
The Sewer Department performed 47 underground located, six emergency locates, answered eight sewer calls, and handled one main line repair in October.
The Trenton Police Department answered 269 calls for service, performed 1,590 business checks, responded to 6 burglary/alarm calls, eight domestic disturbance calls, eight trespassing calls, 17 suspicious activity calls, 23 traffic crashes, and performed 88 traffic stops with 55 citations issued.
The Street Department completed 43 work orders in October.
The City of Trenton ended September with $755,977.64 in the General Fund, $60,955.96 in the 2015 SPLOST, and $150,412.52 in the 2021 SPLOST account.
Trenton City Commissioners approved the addition of court costs to fines as seen in image and tabled the Recreation Vehicle Park and Tiny Home Ordinance until December for further review.
By Summer Kelly
