An entire full-time police force in the US state of Georgia has resigned following an extraordinary dispute involving allegations that the town’s mayor secretly placed a tracking device on the police chief’s vehicle. Police Chief Lamar Bunn, five full-time officers and several volunteer reserve officers in Milner have submitted their resignations, alongside City Manager Tausha Grose, leaving the small community facing serious questions over its future policing arrangements.
Entire Police Department Resigns at Council Meeting
The resignations were confirmed during a Milner City Council meeting on Monday, 19 October 2026, following mounting tensions between the police department and the town’s elected leadership.
City Manager Tausha Grose announced that Police Chief Lamar Bunn, all five full-time officers and several reserve officers had submitted their resignations. She subsequently confirmed her own departure.
According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the police resignations are scheduled to take effect on 28 October, while Grose intends to leave on 30 October.
Milner, situated in Lamar County, has a population of just 772 according to the 2020 US Census.
The departure of its entire full-time police department represents a significant challenge for the small municipality, with no confirmed replacement policing arrangements announced as of 21 October.
Police Chief Accuses Mayor of Unauthorised Tracking
At the centre of the dispute is an allegation that Mayor Craig Timmons placed a tracking device on Chief Bunn’s vehicle without proper authorisation.
Bunn raised the allegation publicly during the council meeting, saying the surveillance had contributed to a complete breakdown of trust between the police department and the town’s leadership.
In additional reporting by WSB-TV Channel 2, Bunn claimed Timmons had asked him to return the tracking device in front of witnesses.
The chief said he was not opposed to official vehicle tracking conducted through appropriate procedures. His objection concerned the alleged lack of authorisation.
WSB-TV also reported that an officer’s resignation letter raised concerns about an allegation that the mayor had personally paid for the tracking equipment.
When questioned during the council meeting about whether he had placed the device on Bunn’s vehicle, Timmons reportedly replied: “I have no comment.”
The allegation that Timmons personally installed or authorised the tracking device has not been independently established. His refusal to comment should not be interpreted as an admission of wrongdoing.
Claims of Wider Surveillance and a Possible Investigation
Further concerns were raised about a surveillance camera reportedly directed towards City Hall.
Local newspaper The Herald Gazette reported that the alleged tracking device and camera were among the issues discussed as officials explained their decisions to resign.
Councillor Ryan Lewis reportedly said he understood that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) was looking into the tracking allegations.
However, Fish 4 News has not independently confirmed that the GBI has opened a formal investigation, and no criminal findings against the mayor have been established in connection with the allegations.
The distinction is important: accusations of unauthorised surveillance do not, by themselves, establish that an offence has occurred.
Breakdown of Trust Behind the Departures
While the tracking allegations have attracted much of the attention, the resignations appear to reflect a wider deterioration in relationships between town officials and police personnel.
The council had been considering restrictions affecting officers’ ability to undertake additional paid employment.
Some officers reportedly regarded those restrictions as a significant financial concern.
However, both Bunn and Grose indicated that disagreements over outside employment were not the principal reasons behind their resignations.
Grose told the council: “There is no trust. I have been rendered ineffective.”
The city manager, who said she had devoted six years to serving Milner, expressed deep disappointment at how relations with the town’s elected leadership had deteriorated.
Separately, WSB-TV obtained a police officer’s resignation letter under Georgia’s public records legislation.
The letter expressed concerns about the judgement and decision-making of the mayor and certain council members regarding the police department.
This suggests the dispute extended beyond a single allegation, encompassing wider concerns about leadership, working conditions and confidence in local government.
What Has the Mayor Said?
Mayor Craig Timmons has not publicly provided a detailed response to the tracking allegation.
According to local reporting, he acknowledged the unexpected scale of the resignations and expressed regret that the situation had reached this point.
He also indicated that there might still be opportunities to resolve the dispute.
Bunn has not completely ruled out reconsidering his departure should circumstances change, according to WSB-TV.
The possibility of reconciliation remains open, although no agreement to withdraw the resignations has been confirmed.
Who Will Police Milner After 28 October?
The most immediate concern is what happens when the resignations take effect.
Milner’s police chief and full-time officers are expected to continue serving until 28 October. Most volunteer reserve officers have reportedly also resigned.
The city manager’s departure two days later would add another significant gap in local government leadership.
At the time of reporting, officials had not publicly confirmed how Milner would replace its police personnel or organise ongoing law enforcement.
The Lamar County Sheriff’s Office operates within the wider county, but no specific arrangement transferring Milner’s municipal policing responsibilities had been verified.
That leaves several questions unanswered.
Will officers withdraw their resignations? Can the town recruit an entirely new department? Will county authorities be asked to provide additional support? And will the surveillance allegations lead to an official investigation?
Until those questions are resolved, residents face uncertainty over the future of their local police service.
Not the First Georgia Police Department Dispute
The events in Milner follow another extraordinary confrontation involving a small Georgia community earlier in 2026.
In May, the mayor of Cohutta dismissed the town’s police department during a separate political dispute.
The officers were subsequently reinstated after questions arose about whether the dismissals complied with the town’s governing rules. The mayor later resigned, citing family health concerns.
Although the circumstances differ, both cases illustrate how serious disagreements between elected officials and police leadership can disrupt public services in smaller communities.
Unlike Cohutta, where officers were dismissed by the mayor, Milner’s officers have chosen to submit their resignations.
What Happens Next?
28 October 2026: Scheduled final working day for the police chief and resigning officers.
30 October 2026: Scheduled departure of City Manager Tausha Grose.
In the meantime, the council faces the challenge of restoring confidence in its leadership, addressing the surveillance allegations and ensuring residents continue to receive adequate policing.
The mayor and police chief have both indicated that a resolution may still be possible.
Whether the resignations ultimately take effect, and whether the tracking allegations are formally investigated, will determine how this dispute develops.
For a community of fewer than 800 residents, the consequences of that breakdown in trust could be substantial.
Sources
- FOX 5 Atlanta – Entire police force, city manager resign in Milner
- WSB-TV Channel 2 – Resignations and officer’s letter
- The Herald Gazette – Milner council meeting report
