Porterdale police force cut in half with resignations

PORTERDALE - The police force of this small Newton County town has been cut in half with the resignations of three officers and a leave of absence by the chief. <br> <br> City Manager Tom Fox told the City Council Tuesday night that Chief Chuck Cannarella was taking a leave of absence to care for his ailing mother. <br> <br> The resignations and the chief&#39;s absence leave the city of nearly 1,300 with one full-time and one part-time police officer and an assistant police chief, a position currently being filled by Fox. <br> <br> The council appointed Fox as acting chief so he could maintain shift schedules and ensure an ongoing police presence in the city, which is near Covington east of Atlanta. <br> <br> Earlier, the council ordered an investigation into a citizen&#39;s allegation that a city police officer was harassing her and her family. Another investigation is aimed at determining what happened to money confiscated by the department during arrests. <br> <br> ``There has been some discontent and some rumbling, some problems there,&#39;&#39; Councilwoman Rebecca Roseberry said.