Flomaton Places Police Chief On Leave, Names Interim Top Cop

February 28, 2012

The Flomaton Town Council voted Monday night to place their police chief on leave with pay as Florida law enforcement continues to investigate his alleged actions, and the council also named an interim chief.

Assistant (Fla.) State Attorney Greg Marcille confirmed last week to NorthEscambia.com that Flomaton Police Chief Goeff McGraw is the focus of an ongoing investigation into the department. The results of the State Attorney’s Office and Florida Department of Law Enforcement probe have not yet been released.

At Monday night’s meeting of the Flomaton council, two Century residents alleged the McGraw pulled his weapon and searched their Florida home without jurisdiction. [Read their complete allegations here.]

Acting on a request by Mayor Dewey Bondurant, the Flomaton Town Council voted unanimously to place McGraw on paid leave with pay for an indefinite time period pending further action. The mayor and the council did not give a specific reason for the suspension, but they did acknowledge that they were aware of the Florida investigation.

The council approved the mayor’s recommendation that current officer Daniel Thompson be named Flomaton’s interim police chief.

Bondurant said McGraw’s status would be up for consideration at the council’s next regular meeting.

Pictured top: Council members Buster Crapps (left) and Jim Johnson (middle), and Mayor Dewey Bondurant Monday night’s meeting of the Flomaton Town Council as they voted to name Daniel Thompson (bottom inset) as the town’s interim police chief. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

23 Responses to “Flomaton Places Police Chief On Leave, Names Interim Top Cop”

  1. towens on March 6th, 2012 4:06 pm

    Toby,

    You have alot to learn about people, I have been in law enforcement for over 16 years, not counting the 13 year in the military working in the same field. I have worked with Daniel since he was a CO at the County Jail and have been working with him in flomaton for over a year and I can tell you that Daniel is more than capable of holding down the job. Personely, I’m offended that you would even refer to him as a 12 y/o without knowing anything about him; guess your not from around here, but as a veteran police officer I can tell you this that during my career, that i have come across people that were 48, but acted 10, and 18 year olds that have wisdom beyond their age. Think about that before making blanket statement about someone without knowing them.

  2. Me on March 3rd, 2012 8:45 am

    @Toby
    You must not know Thompson for you to say things like that. It does not matter the age it matters how you can do the job. He may be young but he has been dealing with Flomaton for awhile now. He is there to stay! I tell you what. If something happens to you don’t call the department for help, help yourself. More then likely he will be there when you call and you sure don’t need a 12 year old coming to your house to help with what ever problem you may have. Hopfully you will never have to call but you never know:)
    Thompson you are a great leader!!!!

  3. A. Wisenheimer on March 2nd, 2012 8:59 pm

    I hope the town can get this all worked out. It seems like forever that Flomaton P.D. has been in the spotlight for one thing or another. It seems like a lot of money has been thrown into that department so they can have all the latest gadgets and gizmos and various “equipment” but, not much improvement in terms of public image.

  4. poohbear on March 2nd, 2012 2:56 pm

    Local Yocal wrote:
    ……. I attempted to speak to the Mayor but he refused to hear any complaint against his Chief!!……..

    The Mayor hand picked the Chief and he don’t want nobody telling him he done wrong!!!!!! Plain and simple. The Mayor wanted a “yes” man.

  5. toby on March 1st, 2012 8:38 pm

    i wouldn’t say that thompson is chief material, i mean how long has this guy been a cop?how old is he twelve?i might would let him be a standing chief 4 1 day but the town neeeds to pay a professional cop.^^^^^^how many cops has been through flomaton in the past ten years?

  6. JUST DONT KNOW ! on March 1st, 2012 10:28 am

    WE CAN GET HIM PERMANENT LEAVE WITH OUT PAY!BUT WE ALL MUST STAND TOGETHER!ANY ONE WITH A REAL COMPLAINT(NOT BECAUSE U DONT LIKE HIM)THATS NOT RIGHT!!BUT IF HE HAS HARRASED U LIKE HE HAS ME ON ONE OCCASION!!THEN BE AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING .

    YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE 2 MINUTES TO SPEAK!WE JUST
    DONT NEED IT TO TURN INTO THE LAST MEET(MATT IS SOOO
    RIGHT!THERE IS A PROPER WAY TO DO THIS!!!!

  7. serina on March 1st, 2012 7:54 am

    Thompson I’m so happy for you man you deserve it. I personally know all the hell you have had to endure just to be able to make this commitment to the town. It was an honor to work with you for three years. And as for town.. coming from a previous employee of flomaton police department.. come voie your opinion not only for yourselves but for all of the wonderful employees who either quit or lost the jobs they know and love! March 12th at 630 pm. Again so extremely proud of you Thompson

  8. David Huie Green on March 1st, 2012 5:19 am

    a dentist would be a dentist wherever he went, but he wouldn’t necessarily be licensed or authorized to work everywhere.

  9. honest gene on February 29th, 2012 11:27 pm

    if he holds a law enforcement badge in any state ,,,he is a police officer …no matter what he is a law enforcement officer ,,,,sworn in by state as well as this USA is concerned ….he took an outh to protect and serve ,,,,that means anybody ….anywhere…..

  10. 429SCJ on February 29th, 2012 1:40 pm

    Im not very knowledgeable of the law, but if this joker draws down on you in Florida and you light him up, you are exercising self defense, would that be correct? I just don’t know about all this, if I want to buy furniture, I can go elsewhere, good luck people. Scary stuff.

  11. Bugsgranny on February 29th, 2012 1:02 pm

    I belive Chief McGraw has a serious problem with a larger than life ego…..he used very poor judgement coming over the Florida line and using his position as a officer of the law… which didn’t come anywhere near legal….and now because of his actions he has opened the Town of Flomaton and your Police department to being sued for any number of things….I hope for the towns sake this will be settled and you will find another person to take the Chiefs position…..if you choose to stand up for him…it will only hurt the town . The chief may be a good man but he is not an officer of the law material. my Dad said it best….give some people a badge and they think they are President of the United States….. so I vote for my Dad.

  12. cody bl on February 29th, 2012 12:21 pm

    its about time and congrats thompson

  13. Local Yocal on February 28th, 2012 3:29 pm

    When is the next Council Meeting?
    I do not live in the city limits; however my family and I travel through, do business and have children in school in the city of Flomaton. We too have been wronged by this Chief and one of his officers. We went asking for assistance and in turn he started to harass us. It has cost me money with an Attorney to get him to back off. I have filed a complaint with APOST and the Ethics Commission and would like to formally file a complaint with the City Council at the next meeting. I attempted to speak to the Mayor but he refused to hear any complaint against his Chief!!

  14. WRONGFULLY DONE!! on February 28th, 2012 11:48 am

    I agree!permant leave without pay!!congrats to Officer Thompson! and Buster Crapps keep on doing what u do(run again 4 mayer buster!!!!!!!I I was there to voice my complaint but after the Tedders got through I guess i will have to wait till the next meeting!I will voice my complaint on officer mcGraw at the next councel meeting! and i to have hired A ATTORNEY!!!

  15. WTGD on February 28th, 2012 10:08 am

    I’m so gald we have someone as our chief now that is a honest and a concerned man for this town. Mcgraw was power hungry and let his position go to his head and now look where it’s got him. It’s all of his own doing!!! Now if we could just get our good police officers back and our dispatchers back this department would be a big turnaround.

  16. jcellops on February 28th, 2012 8:47 am

    some insightful producer should consider making a movie about this small town drama…prob would generate some money for this struggling town, as well….good vs evil….with the “good” flomaton townspeople triumphing while the “evil” crooks of the town getting their just rewards.. id watch it.

  17. Me :) on February 28th, 2012 8:33 am

    Just want to say Congrats to Daniel Thompson and for hanging through all of this. You are going to make a great police chief. Also thanks to Buster for standing up for what was right.

  18. clint on February 28th, 2012 7:16 am

    McGraw is a joke. I took a fifty to mcdonalds. they said it was counterrfeit. went to the chiefs office. he said to bad and put it in his wallet. CROOK..

  19. cindy on February 28th, 2012 7:14 am

    Yay…..Congrats Thompson…..Its time for a change in flo’town and now they gonna get it!

  20. really???? on February 28th, 2012 6:10 am

    This is getting to be a joke.Why are these people with no backbone even in charge of running this town?There are a few good cops working there,but the “Chief” is making them look bad.He just had vacation,maternity leave and now paid leave? Is he driving that truck too? The voters of Flomaton need to wake up and get that whole bunch of “good ole boys” out of there,from the council to the major.Some of the citizens of flomaton need to stand up and say enough is enough.Go register to run for office,and give the town a chance to vote for new people.The only department that seems to be working is the Front office and the Utility Department.These guys and ladies have been there through thick and thin ,they come to work and work hard.They need help, but there is no money for that,yet we keep the “Chief ” on payroll.Something is wrong with that picture.Flomaton used to be a nice little town and it could be that again,with the right leadership.Let’s not allow a few bad apples to ruin the whole place.

  21. 429SCJ on February 28th, 2012 6:08 am

    A silent prayer for CCPs, Mayor Bondurant, dont forget to get his gun.

  22. Local Yocal on February 28th, 2012 5:51 am

    Great!!
    Now let’s give him permanent leave WITHOUT Pay!!!!

    This guy is up to a whole lot more; even if they dismiss the case in Florida-The council needs to do thier own investigation into this guy….

  23. ellenb on February 28th, 2012 2:39 am

    At least we can count on poor Daniel. Thanks Daniel.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News