Richmond County Sheriff’s Deputy Fired; School Investigation Continues

By Fraendy Clervaud
WJBF News Channel 6 Reporter
Published: October 10, 2008

Augusta, GA—Deputy Ronnie Collins was fired from the Augusta Richmond County Sheriff’s Office for not being “truthful” during the interview process. That’s according to Sheriff Ronnie Strength.

Deputy Collins was hired from the Richmond County Board of Education Police in April.

Collins was working as an officer at Spirit Creek Middle Schoolwhen an email to the Board of Education alleged that he and others had inappropriate relations on school grounds. Those allegations remain under investigation.

Prior to that investigation, Collins had left the school and took a job at the Sheriff’s Office. During the interview process, Collins was asked if he had any reason to believe that he was under any investigation, and said he did not.

Sheriff Strength says that since he’s been contacted by the Board of Education, he’s determined that his deputy wasn’t as truthful as he should have been during the interview process, last spring.

WJBF is trying to reach Collins for his side of the story.

The firing follows another officer resignation, from last week, when Wesley Powell was caught using objectionable language while his cruiser’s dash cam was still activated, and the transfer of investigator Richard Roundtree, after he was found to have violated several internal guidelines.