Local & State Headlines

Candidates taking leave

• Unlike the city of Albany, Dougherty County does not require its employees to leave their jobs while seeking public office.

J.D. Sumner

ALBANY — Two candidates seeking to replace outgoing Dougherty County Sheriff Jamil Saba have been forced by city officials to temporarily vacate their positions on the Albany Police force until after the July 15 primary, authorities said.

APD detectives Benita Childs and James Williams have been placed on leaves of absence without pay until the end of the political campaigns because of a 2004 amendment to a city ordinance, city of Albany Attorney Nathan Davis said Wednesday.

Both candidates will be able to return to their jobs at full pay if not elected.

Prior to the amendment, the ordinance forbade any city employees from being involved in any political action, Davis said, which would’ve required Williams and Childs to resign their positions in order to seek political office.

The county has no such restriction on its employees, County Clerk Barbara Engram said. Which means that Capt. Kevin Sproul of the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office, who is also running for sheriff, can still work and draw his normal check during his campaign.

“I assume that the reason for the amendment was to fix an ordinance they thought was too restrictive,” Davis said.

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