Two more Demorest Police employees resign; chief says outside coverage may soon be needed

DEMOREST, Ga. – Two more Demorest Police Department employees have resigned, deepening a staffing problem that now has Police Chief Casey Chastain preparing for the possibility of relying on the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement coverage.

Civilian employee Rachel Bryant submitted her resignation Sept. 15, giving two weeks’ notice and setting her final day for Sept. 29. Two days later, Police Officer Edward Bush submitted his resignation, effective Oct. 4. Neither employee identified a specific reason for leaving in their resignation letters.

The notices came less than a week after Now Georgia reported that Assistant Police Chief James Minutello and another officer were already leaving the department. At the time, Chastain acknowledged morale was a concern but said the departures had not yet affected time off or required outside assistance.

Now, the chief says he is personally helping fill the gaps.

“We have had two more employees turn in their resignations. We have not gone without coverage yet or asked for outside help,” Chastain told Now Georgia. “I pulled the weekend day shift this past weekend.”

Chastain said he has been in contact with Habersham County Sheriff Robin Krockum and has already worked out a contingency plan.

“I have been in contact with the sheriff and do have a plan worked out because at some point we are going to need some coverage,” Chastain said.

The department has not received any new applications, the chief said.

Bryant was part of earlier investigation

Bryant’s departure stands out because she was directly involved in the personnel dispute that placed the Demorest Police Department under scrutiny.

Earlier reporting by Now Georgia shows Bryant was an assistant terminal agency coordinator and was among the civilian employees interviewed during the city-authorized administrative investigation into complaints of favoritism, poor communication and workplace tensions.

Investigation notes show Bryant described an office that had once been a good working environment but had deteriorated. She raised concerns about communication, management, unclear responsibilities and what she viewed as favoritism within the department.

The outside investigator ultimately concluded there was “clearly a toxic atmosphere” in the civilian office and warned that the situation could not continue without being addressed. The investigator recommended decisive action by management, including efforts to improve working relationships.

Bryant’s resignation letter, however, does not revisit those complaints or blame anyone for her decision to leave.

“I appreciate the opportunity I have been given working for the Demorest Police Department and the experience I have gained,” Bryant wrote.

She said she valued her time with the department and would “treasure the friends” she made there.

Bush’s letter is similarly restrained.

“This was not an easy decision,” Bush wrote, adding that he was grateful for his time with the department, the people he worked alongside and the experience he gained. He did not provide a reason for resigning.

Chastain said he does not want to speculate about why employees are leaving.

“As far as why people are leaving, I would rather that answer come from them instead of me trying to explain how someone else feels,” he said.

Departures continue

The resignations add another chapter to months of turnover and internal unrest.

Sergeant Steven Squires left the department in May after writing a lengthy resignation letter that questioned how the city handled the internal investigation. Squires alleged the process eventually became a “witch hunt” and questioned what the turmoil could mean for the department’s future.

Former civilian employee Miranda Kemp also resigned after the investigation, while Minutello recently left Demorest after more than a decade to become an investigator with the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office.

Bryant submitted her notice on Sept. 15, followed by Bush two days later. Their resignations leave the department facing a problem that is no longer limited to workplace tension, but also includes keeping enough people on the schedule to police the city.

Now Georgia again reached out to Demorest Mayor Jerry Harkness and City Manager Mark Musselwhite for comment regarding the additional resignations and staffing concerns. Neither responded as of publication.