Andrews mayor fires two recently hired cops

By Nikki Gaskins
ngaskins@abcnews4.com

ANDREWS, S.C. (WCIV)?It hasn't even been a full week since Andrews mayor, Rodney Giles, fired the town's first ever female police chief. He now confirms to ABC News 4 that the two officers recently hired by ex-police chief, Jennifer Flowers, have also been shown the door.

Giles said one of the officers was terminated on Friday and the second was let go on Monday. He offered no further comment on the situation.

The mayor says he fired Flowers for insubordination after she hired the two officers without getting his approval first. The two positions, according to Flowers, were budgeted for.

Flowers told ABC News 4 that along with a military background, one officer had more than a decade of experience in law enforcement and the other approximately six years.

"They're both highly qualified officers. Both have spent time in Afghanistan, worked with the county of Georgetown for years," said area businesswoman, Jamie Harrelson. "It definitely just leads to more unanswered questions as to why the mayor made the decisions that he's made."

Harrelson has called Andrews home for years and knows both officers personally.

"I know that the wife of one of the officers is very distraught obviously for her husband to be hired and now lose his job, and they both have small children," said Harrelson.

Amid rumors that race played a role in the police chief's firing, some residents say the claim of "insubordination" was an excuse to let Flowers go.

"It was her job to hire the police officers and why wasn't she trusted to do that?" said Andrews resident, Crystal Paschall.

In light of the chief's firing, she recently started an on-line petition aimed at getting Flowers' her job back. To date, the petition has nearly a hundred supporters.

"She doesn't know me personally. I don't know her," said Paschall. "Jennifer Flowers met my need as a citizen. She was accessible to me. I was able to walk into her office when I had a problem and she addressed the issue."

Paschall says anytime someone joins the on-line petition, a notification e-mail is then sent to Mayor Giles.

"She deserves her job back. I think insubordination doesn't take precedence over serving the citizens," said Paschall.

Flowers says she is thankful for the many in the community who are supporting her at this difficult time.

"As long as the town of Andrews fights for me, I'll continue to fight for the town of Andrews," she said.

For the time being, Flowers says she is working for her family's locally owned business.

Source: http://www.abcnews4.com/story/19886799/andrews-mayor-fires-two-recently-hired-cops

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