The police chief of Johns Creek, Atlanta, Chris Byers, now adds to the unending list of individuals who have lost their livelihood after posting their personal opinions on social media. Byers was made to resign officially on Tuesday after a settlement was agreed upon between the city’s police department and Byers.
“Based on extensive and careful consideration of everything that has occurred within our city over the past few months, we have come to the conclusion that it is in the city’s best interests to part ways with our Police Chief,” said Mayor Mike Bodker.
Back in June, Byers expressed his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement on his personal Facebook account.
“I believe that the lives of every black man, woman, and child matter just as much as the lives of every white man, woman, and child and police officer. Just as with every other nationality we get the privilege of calling our neighbors and every religion represented. But I do not support the Black Lives Matter as a movement as it seems to glorify the killing of my brothers and sisters. It is not what you pastors and religious leaders think it is. Stop trying to be relevant and look deeper into what you are saying, posting, and tagging before you do it,” wrote Byers.
Byers’ social media post has since been deleted but we have the full text provided to Reclaim The Net here. In light of the resignation, Byers said that he had regretted making that statement on Facebook.
After Byers made the statement on Facebook, an internal investigation was opened into the chief.
What’s more, the city is apparently “precluded” from revealing what led to Byers’ resignation.
We can only imagine why.
