February 4, 2020–5:55 a.m.

STAFF REPORTS

Legislation that could mean the end of county police departments is making its way through the Georgia General Assembly.

Senate Bill 317 provides a method for the abolition of a county police department and turns over those law enforcement duties to the sheriff if approved by voters of the county in a referendum.

Floyd County and Polk County both have county police departments.

Some say that the state would be ignoring the will of county commission boards to make the decision to have a county-wide police force.

The bill passed the Senate Government Oversight Committee on Friday by a 5 to 4 vote.