Body cam footage shows altercation during stop with former Ocilla police officer, sheriff's deputy
By: A former Ocilla Police Department officer is speaking out after he says he feels he was fired for unjustifiable reasons.
Former Ocilla Police Officer Ronald Dixon, who has been in law enforcement for over 35 years, says he was fired after reporting an incident that happened while he was off-duty, involving a traffic stop with an Irwin County Sheriff’s deputy.
In January 2024, Dixon says he was stopped by the deputy while trying to call for help because he had a flat tire.
“When I saw the blue lights, I thought he was about to give me some assistance because he saw that I had a flat tire, he said it himself. ‘I see you got a flat tire’ right? You see I got a flat tire, therefore are you going to give me some assistance? Or ask do I need any help. None of that came out his mouth,” Dixon said.
He reported the incident to his chief of police, as well as the Irwin County Sheriff’s Office.
WALB spoke with Irwin County Sheriff Cody Youghn, and he says he doesn’t believe his deputy racially profiled Dixon, and that he pulled him over because he said he was on his phone.
Dixon provided WALB with a copy of what was given to him when he was fired from the Ocilla Police Department. It states that he violated the department’s policy by not obeying a lawful order during a traffic stop, using profane language, and it also states that he violated another policy by making a false report that the department was racially profiling people.
But after looking at the Ocilla Police Code of Conduct, it only states the use of profanity isn’t allowed while conducting city business.
Youghn provided WALB with stats from their 2023. Because he says he’s unsure why the community is stating his department is racially profiling. He says his deputies stopped over 2,000 cars in 2023 and only four Black men got more tickets than white males. Youghn also stated Black males received 56 more warnings than white males in 2023.