Douglas County places fire chief on leave
Fire Chief Roderick Jolivette (Douglas County)
DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. - Douglas County's fire chief has been placed on administrative leave.
Roderick Jolivette was sworn in Feb. 2022 as the county’s first Black fire chief.
On Wednesday, county officials released a statement that reads:
"Douglas County Fire/EMS Chief Roderick Jolivette has been placed on administrative leave with pay pending the completion of an investigation of the Department’s hiring process.
"Deputy Fire Chief, Dr. Miles Allen will be in command until further notice. We cannot provide any further comments on this personnel matter."
The county did not provide any other details on the investigation.
Jolivette has been described as a "servant leader who is notably skilled at relationship building." He has worked fighting fires for 37 years, serving previously as the Fire Chief of Cairo and Manchester, Georgia.
Before his time in the fire service, Jolivette was in the U.S. Navy in their nuclear submarine division. He was honorably discharged in 1985.