A Brooklet Police officer accused of inappropriate conduct with a teenage girl is back on the streets after a 10-day suspension without pay. He is no longer working at Southeast Bulloch High School as a school resource officer, but because of his “exemplary” record other than the misconduct, Sgt. De Hagan remains on the Brooklet Police Department payroll.
Brooklet Police Chief Mike Buchan did not return messages left seeking comment, but according to minutes from the Brooklet City Council’s Nov. 20 meeting, Buchan wrote a letter to the council requesting approval that Hagan be suspended without pay for 20 days, and to have a written reprimand on his record.
According to the minutes, “Based upon Chief Buchan’s investigation, he finds that Sgt. De Hagan inappropriately flirted with a 17-year-old female student at the school while working as the school resource officer, and that he further misused Brooklet police-issued equipment.”
In his letter Buchan said he found, during investigation, Hagan violated several city ordinances, including “conduct reflecting discredit to the town or department” and “conduct that is unbecoming to a town employee.”
“This conduct exhibited by Sgt. Hagan was clearly inappropriate,” he wrote. “However, he has otherwise been an exemplary employee and police officer, and this is the first and only blemish on his personnel record.”
Hagan was accused of making inappropriate comments through text messages and in person to a 17-year-old student who worked in the Southeast Bulloch High School office. The actions were done during times when Hagan was on duty.
Buchan’s letter did not address the fact that Hagan’s photo was posted on the Internet on Facebook, a social networking site. The photo depicted Hagan with two underage girls, holding what appeared to be a beer bottle, and with all three sticking their tongues out toward the bottle’s opening.
The photo was posted by an acquaintance of one of the girls, and comments by one of the girls depicted suggested the three had been drinking together, and mentioned “drunk girls” and “body shots.”
At one time Hagan had several “friends” on his Facebook account that were underage students, many of them from Southeast Bulloch High School, mostly female. After a reporter questioned Buchan about the photo, several of those underage persons were deleted from Hagan’s Facebook account. Hagan has not commented on the text messages or the Facebook photo.
In the Brooklet City Council minutes, it is noted that Buchan agreed that “disciplinary action against Sgt. De Hagan is warranted, but that his employment should not be terminated.”
He requested Hagan be suspended without pay from Nov. 25 to Dec. 5, and a written reprimand be placed in Hagan’s file.
It was also mentioned during the meeting that Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Richard Mallard issued a letter to the council stating that after investigations, “there does not appear to be a violation of law. It does appear to be inappropriate conduct, given the setting and parties involved.” The DA’s investigation was closed after the findings, Mallard wrote.
An investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation also found no laws had been broken.
After the council closed its regular meeting and prepared to go into executive session to discuss pending litigation, Hagan’s attorney asked to speak to the Mayor and council, according to the minutes.
After the council went into executive session and returned to regular session, the council unanimously approved Buchan’s recommendation regarding Hagan.
Brooklet Police Chief Mike Buchan did not return messages left seeking comment, but according to minutes from the Brooklet City Council’s Nov. 20 meeting, Buchan wrote a letter to the council requesting approval that Hagan be suspended without pay for 20 days, and to have a written reprimand on his record.
According to the minutes, “Based upon Chief Buchan’s investigation, he finds that Sgt. De Hagan inappropriately flirted with a 17-year-old female student at the school while working as the school resource officer, and that he further misused Brooklet police-issued equipment.”
In his letter Buchan said he found, during investigation, Hagan violated several city ordinances, including “conduct reflecting discredit to the town or department” and “conduct that is unbecoming to a town employee.”
“This conduct exhibited by Sgt. Hagan was clearly inappropriate,” he wrote. “However, he has otherwise been an exemplary employee and police officer, and this is the first and only blemish on his personnel record.”
Hagan was accused of making inappropriate comments through text messages and in person to a 17-year-old student who worked in the Southeast Bulloch High School office. The actions were done during times when Hagan was on duty.
Buchan’s letter did not address the fact that Hagan’s photo was posted on the Internet on Facebook, a social networking site. The photo depicted Hagan with two underage girls, holding what appeared to be a beer bottle, and with all three sticking their tongues out toward the bottle’s opening.
The photo was posted by an acquaintance of one of the girls, and comments by one of the girls depicted suggested the three had been drinking together, and mentioned “drunk girls” and “body shots.”
At one time Hagan had several “friends” on his Facebook account that were underage students, many of them from Southeast Bulloch High School, mostly female. After a reporter questioned Buchan about the photo, several of those underage persons were deleted from Hagan’s Facebook account. Hagan has not commented on the text messages or the Facebook photo.
In the Brooklet City Council minutes, it is noted that Buchan agreed that “disciplinary action against Sgt. De Hagan is warranted, but that his employment should not be terminated.”
He requested Hagan be suspended without pay from Nov. 25 to Dec. 5, and a written reprimand be placed in Hagan’s file.
It was also mentioned during the meeting that Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Richard Mallard issued a letter to the council stating that after investigations, “there does not appear to be a violation of law. It does appear to be inappropriate conduct, given the setting and parties involved.” The DA’s investigation was closed after the findings, Mallard wrote.
An investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation also found no laws had been broken.
After the council closed its regular meeting and prepared to go into executive session to discuss pending litigation, Hagan’s attorney asked to speak to the Mayor and council, according to the minutes.
After the council went into executive session and returned to regular session, the council unanimously approved Buchan’s recommendation regarding Hagan.