Deputy resigns over Facebook posting

However, the Barrow County Sheriff’s Department concluded its own internal affairs investigation prior to that. The internal probe led to Rusgrove tendering his resignation, Smith said.

Smith said he began an internal affairs investigation on Rusgrove after three employees alleged he made comments in the past that they perceived as “derogatory, racial and sexual in nature.”

“That’s when I opened an internal affairs investigation,” said Smith.

The incident is unique to the Facebook page accusations, which Smith reacted to by suspending Rusgrove for 10 days without pay.

Rusgrove’s online postings came to Smith’s attention about three weeks ago after someone slid a sealed envelope with a copy of his Facebook postings and his photograph under his door.

Smith said Rusgrove posted comments on his wall about “gays, pot smokers and baby killers” and “he called our president a ‘camel jockey’ and a ‘towel-head.’”

Smith said he was unaware of who left the envelope at his door but online, Rusgrove identified himself as a captain with the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office on his page.

“I felt that it was important,” said Smith. “I’m not against Facebook. The sheriff’s office has one, but it’s informational. It’s for us to disseminate information out to the media and to the public.”

This is the first Facebook related incident with the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office where a department member has either quit or been fired based on what they’ve posted online.

During his suspension, Rusgrove sent a letter to Smith where he advised that the postings were his constitutional right.

“I agree with that,” said Smith. “But we are held to a higher standard. We represent all races and creeds. We have to be the public trust.”