South Fulton Police Chief Placed on Administrative Leave Amid Internal Investigation

Chief Keith Meadows to step aside August 5 as independent probe into department operations begins

The City of South Fulton has placed Police Chief Keith Meadows on temporary administrative leave, effective August 5, amid a broad independent investigation into the police department’s internal operations.

The move follows a resolution by the City Council, which triggered a formal review into areas including:

• Promotions and hiring practices
• Internal complaint procedures
• Departmental protocols
• HR policies
• Disciplinary actions

“When any department is under formal review as initiated by the Council, its director shall be placed on administrative leave for the duration of the inquiry,” city officials said in a statement.

Lawsuits Add Pressure

The administrative leave comes on the heels of two lawsuits filed against Meadows, including one by a former detective who alleges retaliation for attempting to expose misconduct within the department.

That lawsuit also claims:

• The detective’s wages were withheld
• Meadows discouraged transparency around alleged manipulation of lie detector results
• Another officer, now part of a separate whistleblower case, was fired after attempting to prevent the alleged tampering

Meadows reportedly told the officer that the concerns should have been routed through the “chain of command.”

Deputy Chief Eddie Smith will serve as acting head of the department while the investigation is ongoing. Smith emphasized that officers remain committed to professionalism during this period of scrutiny.

“The department remains confident this process will result in a fair and accurate resolution,” he said. “Our focus remains on serving South Fulton residents with integrity and professionalism.”

City officials have not confirmed whether the lawsuits directly triggered the investigation, but say the review is intended to restore community trust and improve transparency.