Houston sheriff names head of patrol division to lead Centerville police

CENTERVILLE -- The head of the Houston County Sheriff’s Office patrol division has been assigned to lead the Centerville Police Department for the next three months.

Under an agreement between Sheriff Cullen Talton and the city, Capt. Ronnie Harlowe will lead the department on a temporary basis.

“I think things will be OK once he gets over there and gets his feet on the ground,” Talton said Thursday.

The day before, the Centerville City Council approved a memorandum of understanding that would allow the sheriff’s office to manage the police department for 90 days.

Wednesday’s meeting comes on the heels of a tumultuous few months for the department.

In July, the council hired Ed Tucker, a 52-year-old veteran educator and a Georgia Army National Guard officer, to lead the department immediately after he resigned as a Centerville councilman. Tucker was hired as director of police service, a newly created position.

At the same time, the council also abolished the position of assistant police chief, immediately ending W.G. Cooley’s employment with the city. Cooley had been running things after Police Chief Sid Andrews resigned in June for health reasons.

Tucker, who is not a certified public safety officer, was to oversee the department’s administration and personnel but would not have had oversight of law enforcement operations until he went to law enforcement mandate and police chiefs school. Lt. Phillip Pritchett, who headed the patrol division, had been described as the “interim law enforcement head” for the department while Tucker awaited certification.

Centerville Mayor John Harley said Thursday that Tucker and Pritchett are on administrative leave with pay. The non-punitive action was taken Tuesday by Councilman Micheal Evans, who has oversight authority over the police department, Harley said.

The action was taken in consultation with the city attorney and was outside of a public meeting. Because the action was not punitive, the council was not required to vote on the matter, the mayor said.

When asked on what grounds the action was taken, Harley responded, “We didn’t need any grounds for that.”

Evans confirmed the administrative leave with pay for Tucker and Pritchett but declined to elaborate.

Harley acknowledged the city fumbled in the aftermath of Andrews’ departure.

“One of the biggest things you saw there, of course, when our chief resigned unexpectedly on us for health reasons, we didn’t realize at the time we didn’t have the experience we needed to operate a police department, and police experience is different than any other kind of experience,” Harley said. “So what we want to do is recover from mistakes we made in that area.”

Following a Thursday meeting with Harley and several other officials, Talton told The Telegraph that he signed an agreement that puts the sheriff’s office in charge of the police department for now. According to Harley, Evans, Harlowe, Chief Deputy Billy Rape and sheriff’s Maj. Tommy Jackson also attended the meeting.

The agreement calls for Harlowe to have full rein of the department but under the standard operating procedures of Centerville police, Talton said.

“We’re going to work together, and it was understood that (Harlowe) would be over law enforcement. And any changes he thought necessary, he would be able to make them as far as law enforcement personnel,” Talton said.

Harlowe will continue to answer to the sheriff. If he runs into any problems, Talton said Harlowe is to consult with Rape and Jackson.

“Of course, if he runs into anything over there he needs to talk to the mayor about, then he’ll talk to the mayor,” Talton said. “But the mayor assured us that he would not interfere with anything (Harlowe) decided to do. ... He would take Ronnie’s suggestions and let him handle it that way. He agreed to that.”

Harley also said Thursday that Harlowe will be able to run the department without interference. He said he swore Harlowe in as a Centerville police officer Thursday.

Centerville is expected to reimburse the county for Harlowe’s salary and benefits while he is in command of the city department, Talton said.

As for Centerville police officers and staff, Harlowe expects to meet with them Monday, Talton said.

“We just wanted to have a meeting with them to let them know what’s going on and what to expect out of us and what we expect out of them,” the sheriff said

“They wanted us to come over and I guess try to fix some the problems they’ve had in the past,” Talton said. “I don’t know what those problems are ... I didn’t ask any questions. They requested us and we ironed out a few things, and I’ve just agreed to help them temporarily until they find a chief.”

Harley said he could not comment on problems within the department because they involve personnel issues, which he said he is prohibited from discussing publicly.

Centerville police Sgt. Chuck Hadden, who is assigned to investigations and is now the senior ranking officer in the department, is in charge until Harlowe assumes command, Harley said.

Efforts to reach Tucker and Pritchett for comment were unsuccessful Thursday.

To contact writer Becky Purser, call 256-9559.

This story was originally published September 10, 2015 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Houston sheriff names head of patrol division to lead Centerville police ."