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Atlanta Watershed whistleblower claims illegal detention, search, coerced statements

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Published  March 10, 2025 7:52pm EDT
Atlanta
FOX 5 Atlanta

Watershed Management workers claim being held against will

Five of Atlanta's Department of Watershed Management employees claim they were held against their will by an Atlanta police officer and illegally searched. The claim was detailed in a letter written by staffers from the City's Inspector General's office.

The Brief

    • An Atlanta Watershed Department whistleblower says he and four others were illegally detained and searched after a supervisor's wallet went missing. 
    • That same whistleblower says the water department managers forced him to sign phony documents and give up his rights to representation as part of a phony investigation on the matter.
    • The employee said he tried to get the HR Department to look into the issue, but staffers "brushed the matter under the rug." 

What we know:

ATLANTA - On September 23, 2024, the OIG office initiated an investigation into the unlawful detention and search of five employees. 

The whistleblower claims Director Yolanda Broome and Supervisor DeValory Donahue were the managers involved.

Director Yolanda Broome (Credit: LinkedIn)

The employee alleged that he was forced to sign illegible documents and provided OIG with a faded employee statement, form and statement of Garity rights. The whistleblower stated Broome instigated that illegal investigation, and he is traumatized.

The director advised the supervisor to have all the employees within the unit go to the conference room for three hours. 

The OIG found evidence that the five employees were held in the conference room with a police officer outside the door. When one of the employees asked if they could use the restroom, the police officer told all the employees that they were not allowed to leave the room.

Former Atlanta Inspector General Shannon Manigault

The employee stated they were "ordered to empty their pockets, forced to waive their rights to representation, and forced to submit a written statement."

What we don't know:

FOX 5 Atlanta is looking into whether the newly appointed interim inspector general is looking into this matter.

We're also waiting to hear what the Watershed Department has to say about this alleged search. The department referred all calls to Mayor Andre Dickens Office.

What they're saying:

The Mayor's office told FOX 5, "We will not address any specific allegations, as doing so would be inappropriate while the investigations are ongoing."

The Source: This article was written by FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Aungelique Proctor based on a whistleblower's complaint.

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