A small town police department in south Georgia is using a Facebook profile page for official police business to make an endorsement in a local race for district attorney.
The City of Rochelle, located in Wilcox County, has just 1,167 people and encompasses less than 1.5 square miles, but the police chief for the city is looking to make a big impact in the May 19 election.
Incumbent District Attorney Brad Rigby, who serves the Cordele Judicial Circuit (Ben Hill, Crisp, Dooly, and Wilcox counties), is facing opposition from Lyndsey Walters in the upcoming Republican primary.
On March 10, Chief Jimmy Banks used a Facebook profile/account with the name Rochelle PD to endorse Brad Rigby. The post noted that the account does not normally make political posts, but this one was “necessary.” The post outlines the reasons for his support, includes election dates from the Secretary of State’s office, and is signed by “Chief J Banks, Rochelle PD.”
Though the post is signed by Banks, the post is made in his official capacity, with his official title, and on a page held out to the public to be an official mouthpiece of the city police department. Other posts on the page include a BOLO for a missing juvenile with autism, a “PSA” on a new ordinance enacted by the city council, and other law enforcement-related posts shared from nearby agencies. The ‘About’ for the page also states “This page is for the Rochelle, GA Police Department’s Chief, Jimmy Banks.”
In the comments section, DA Rigby offered thanks for the post.
Notably, some law enforcement officers, like elected sheriffs who oversee autonomous agencies, have a Facebook page for their own commentary, such as ‘Sheriff Stacy Williams’ in Haralson County and the campaign account Sheriff Dave Roberson in Floyd County.
The difference here is that the page is using the law enforcement agency name as the profile name and reflects the views of a mere city employee – the police chief. The chief is essentially using city resources to make an endorsement in a partisan political race, a practice that is not only frowned upon but considered a misuse of public resources.
