SOUTH FULTON, Ga. - South Fulton Mayor Carmalitha Gumbs says she is keeping her promise of transparency by providing residents on Friday with the results of an independent audit of the city’s police department, following several lawsuits filed against the agency over alleged misconduct.
What we know:
South Fulton City Council requested the review in July 2025 after several lawsuits were filed against the South Fulton Police Department and former Chief Keith Meadows, alleging sexual discrimination and retaliation.
Reviewers from Rothwell Confidential Services examined the department’s policies and procedures and evaluated their application in practice.
According to the final report, although the agency has established many policies, they are "outdated, overly complex and inconsistently applied."
Many of the policies were adopted from the Fulton County Police Department and do not meet the needs of the South Fulton Police Department.
The report recommends that the agency conduct a thorough revision of its policies to align with its current demands.
"The general recommendation of this review is that the SFPD, whether through the accreditation process or other means, conduct a thorough revision of all policies to align them with the nature and demands of the current agency, and discontinue operating under a jumble of legacy policies that can no longer be modified effectively," the report states.
The review was facilitated by Robert Ford, former special agent in charge of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Reviewers included several retired police chiefs.
Mayor Gumbs said the city has already begun implementing some recommendations and looks forward to continuing that process.
"We are just looking forward to making sure that we move the city forward," Gumbs explained. "Transparency is at the root of what we’re doing here in South Fulton, and we just want to keep doing the best that we can."
The backstory:
It follows a significant leadership change in the department.
After lawsuits and complaints, city council members voted in January to enter into a retirement settlement agreement with former Chief Meadows.
South Fulton has launched a nationwide search for their next police chief while Dr. Cedric Alexander serves in the interim.
What's next:
Mayor Gumbs plans to hold a conference at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, during which she and Dr. Alexander will discuss the audit results.
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The Source: Information in this article comes from prior FOX 5 reporting, an interview with Mayor Gumbs and the audit report.