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'He should step down:' Milledgeville police chief charged with DUI

A Georgia State Patrol incident report says Milledgeville Police Chief Dray Swicord admitted he had been drinking liquor before getting behind the wheel.

13WMAZ has new details on the arrest of Milledgeville Police Chief Dray Swicord, who was charged with a DUI over the weekend.

A Georgia State Patrol incident report says Swicord admitted he had been drinking liquor before getting behind the wheel.

Also according to that report, Swicord was driving his own truck through Wilkinson County early Saturday morning when a trooper pulled him over for failing to dim his "brights."

The trooper smelled alcohol, noticed Swicord's speech was slurred, and his eyes bloodshot and watery.

When asked how much he'd had to drink, Swicord replied, "Just a couple, brother."

The report also states that the trooper took two breath samples in the field that tested positive, and a then took a blood sample when he and Swicord arrived at the Wilkinson County jail.

"I was shocked. I say he should be fired immediately like everyone else and not be on the job with pay. That's not fair to everyone else," says Milledgeville resident Ron Hayes. "I think he should step down."

A press release from Milledgeville City Manager Barry Jarrett says Swicord is on paid administrative leave until he receives more details about the incident, including the results of that blood test.

For now, Jarrett has appointed Major John Davis to act as the police chief until further notice.

WMAZ also reached out to Ken Vance, the Executive Director of the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, to ask what happens to officers in this type of incident. He says:

""For a first DUI in a personal vehicle, the certified officer will generally receive 24 months of their certification being put into a probationary status and have to attend a DUI class offered by the Georgia Department of Driver Services at their own expense."

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