By Devin Knight -
A Sylvester police officer
facing multiple felony charges for his actions while on duty three years ago,
is out on bond Wednesday, but additional charges could lie ahead.
The Worth Co. District Attorney
requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate Lt. George Hall,
after the Sylvester Police Department arrested him Tuesday afternoon.
Sylvester Police Chief Robert
Jennings said the department received a complaint on April 7th, stemming from
an Incident on April 21, 2011. The chief
declined to comment on specifics of the case, but said Hall was taken into
custody after the department conducted an investigation.
He was charged with tampering
with evidence, false statements and violation of oath of office. "When you find evidence, there's a
certain way it's supposed to be handled," said Chief Jennings. "And
if it's not handled that way then it's called tampering with evidence. So there
was a mishandling of evidence the way he did it, and the purpose for which he
handled the evidence."
Jennings said Hall's actions
likely won't compromise previous cases he was involved with as an officer. He
said his department is committed to serve and protect the public.
"We have good officers
here," he said. "And anytime we get a complaint on an officer, it's
fully investigated."
"Since the GBI Is gonna do
a follow up investigation on some of the stuff we did uncover, then at this
time we don't want to say anything else," said SPD Chief Robert
Jennings. Hall is currently suspended
with pay.
Hall was taken to the Worth
County Jail, but was released after posting $15,000 bond Tuesday. The Worth
County Clerk's Office was awaiting copies of warrants from the Worth County
Sheriff's Office Wednesday, before moving forward with arraignment papers.
Jennings said Hall could face
further charges following another investigation by the GBI, but declined to
comment further.
Assistant GBI Agent Mark Pro
confirmed his offices were contacted after Hall was arrested, but declined to
comment on the extent of the investigation.