Disciplinary sanctions against Milledgeville police chief include a pay reduction

The police chief of Milledgeville will get to keep his job after he was charged with DUI by the Georgia State Patrol last month.

But disciplinary action taken against Police Chief Dray Swicord includes a two-week suspension without pay and a salary reduction of 5 percent for six months.

Swicord was pulled over by a statet trooper at 12:28 a.m. Aug. 18 on southbound Ga. 243 in Wilkinson County after Swicord failed to dim the lights on his 2007 Chevrolet Silverado that were on bright when he passed the trooper who was traveling north, according to Georgia Department of Public Safety incident report.

Swicord’s blood alcohol test was .131, according to the report. The legal limit in Georgia 0.08.

According to the report, Swicord told the officer it had been two hours since he’d been drinking liquor and that he had consumed “just a couple” of alcoholic beverages, the report said. He also said he’d just had a swallow of alcohol but that at least 15 minutes had passed.

Swicord’s speech was slurred and his eyes were bloodshot and watery, the report said. He was polite and complied with the trooper’s commands.

A news release Wednesday from City Manager Barry Jarrett said the disciplinary sanctions against Swicord are effective as of Saturday.

Swicord will also be required to successfully complete the Georgia Department of Driver Services’ DUI Alcohol Reduction Program at his own expense.

Additionally, Swicord must successfully complete all terms and conditions of a 24-month probation imposed on Swicord by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, which certifies police officers in the state.

As to Swicord’s pending DUI charge, if Swicord enters a plea or is found guilty, he must also successfully complete all court-related terms and conditions at his own expense, the release said.

Jarrett said in the release that he considered the facts and circumstances of the incident, Swicord’s years of service with the city of Milledgeville and his “excellent job performance” as the city’s police chief.

Jarrett also said that he reserves the right to review the matter in the future and impose additional disciplinary sanctions after final disposition of the court case.

Swicord was placed on leave after he self-reported his arrest for DUI while he was driving his personal vehicle in or near Ivey and while Jarrett considered disciplinary sanctions.

According to the city’s website, Swicord has been with the department since 1986 and has served as chief since 2012. Swicord declined comment Wednesday.

This story was originally published September 12, 2018 at 4:00 PM.