Police chief Matthew Higgins with mayor Johnny Hammock

Tallassee officer dismissed for drug possession

Staff Report

The Tallassee Police Department has charged one of its own officers for drug crimes. Raymond Clark has been let go of his duties.

"On Thursday, April 30, I was made aware of the possibility that a member of the Tallassee Police Department was involved in a violation of the rules and regulations of both the Police Department and the City of Tallassee," Tallassee Police Chief Matthew Higgins stated in a press release. "I initiated an internal investigation at that time to determine the validity of the allegations. The investigation concluded on Friday, May 8, at which time a decision was made to charge former officer Raymond Clark with Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Marijuana 2nd.

"I would like to commend the officers involved in the investigation that do not tolerate criminal activity even when it pertains to another officer. I consider violations of the law by officers to be very serious and it is something that I refuse to ignore.

"The actions of one individual do not reflect the many dedicated professionals that place themselves in harm’s way on a daily basis for this community. We will continue to do our jobs to the best of our abilities and thank the citizens of Tallassee for their support."

All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.