Four law enforcement officers, Deputy William Gregory, of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office, and Lt. Darrell Dix, Lt. Tony Thomason and Sgt. Richard Phillips, of the Griffin Police Department, have been placed on administrative leave pending the findings of a grand jury being convened by Georgia Attorney General Thurgood Baker.

This action follows an investigation of the Griffin-Spalding County Narcotics Task Force which was initiated in 2004 by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The task force has since been disbanded.

“The Georgia Bureau of Investigation notified Tony Thomason, Darrell Dix, and Richard Phillips, of the Griffin Police Department, of their intent to seek an indictment as a result of an investigation that occurred in 2004 involving the now-defunct Griffin-Spalding County Narcotics Task Force,” said Cpl. Bryan Clanton, speaking on behalf of the office of the chief of police. “William Gregory of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Department has also been notified of the same. The Griffin police officers have been placed on administrative leave with pay per the department’s policy concerning these matters.”

Sheriff Dee Stewart has taken identical steps with regard to Gregory.

“I put him on administrative leave until the investigation is over,” Stewart said of Gregory. “I’ve just got him on paid leave until we find out what’s going on. Bubba’s (Gregory) been with the department a long time. We’ll just have to wait on the outcome of the grand jury before we see what we’re going to do.”

Officials with the GPD went on to say the steps taken with regard to its officers is routine in such cases.

“It is standard operating procedure for someone to be placed on administrative leave with pay until a matter such as this is concluded,” Clanton said. “These officers have served the Griffin area for many years. Their leave is simply administrative, not punitive or disciplinary.”