Attorney: Fired Lilburn Police Chief Wants His Job Back

Fired Lilburn Police Chief John Davidson wants his job back, his lawyer said Thursday, and will file an appeal with the City of Lilburn.

Attorney Michael Caldwell, of the Atlanta firm DeLong, Caldwell, Bridgers and Fitzpatrick, said Davidson was “shocked and disappointed” after.

Davidson spoke out on the firing in an interview he granted WSB-TV Thursday. He said in an excerpt from the interview that aired during the 5 p.m. newscast that he wanted his job back.

Caldwell said by phone Thursday morning that an appeal will be filed with the city as early as Friday. Monday is the deadline. The appeal would then go to the city’s merit board, the attorney said.

“John feels the termination is unjust and he intends to use all of the procedures afforded him to have the reasons made public,” Caldwell said. “He hopes the truth will come out.”

Davidson, who had been with the department since February, 2006, was informed Monday by City Manager Bill Johnsa of the decision. On Tuesday, Johnsa, who said he made the decision,  said he was concerned about the “direction, and the performance and morale of the department,” which were “short of expectations.”

Those sentiments were reflected in the termination notice, a copy of which was emailed by Caldwell to Lilburn Patch. In it, Johnsa wrote, “It is my determination that we need to move forward with a new management style and one that will continue to build the trust, confidence and respect from the officers and personnel of the t.”

Johnsa offered no other specifics on Tuesday, calling the termination a “personnel matter.”

Caldwell, who also is general counsel for the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, said the termination letter was not clear why Davidson had been fired.

“We have more questions than answers,” said Caldwell, who added that on Davidson’s latest performance review, in July, the former chief scored 260 out of 270. “What has changed since then? We don’t know.”

Deputy Chief Bruce Hedley has been appointed interim chief until a decision is made on Davidson's replacement.