Who is Tim Wallis? Sexist Georgia police chief told cop she looked like ‘Hooters girl’
Lawrenceville Police Department in Georgia has suspended its chief after allegations of sexism and creating a "hostile work environment". Chief Tim Wallis is reportedly on a 10-day suspension without pay, after a female officer recorded him calling her a "Hooters girl", leading to a cascade of complaints against him. The complaint sparked an investigation, which led to two other top cops at the department being suspended as well.
Wallis isn't the first cop to be caught for disparaging comments or actions. In September 2021, we reported on the problematic Millersville PD, whose chief was accused of being a member of the KKK and firing a Black officer for exposing the department's racism to the Black Lives Matter movement. In fact, back in 2019, a report found that hundreds of active duty and retired cops are members of Facebook groups that celebrate anti-Semitism, racism, sexism, and encourage hate.
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So far, it doesn't appear as if Wallis falls in that category, but there are certainly some very serious accusations levied against him. Nonetheless, he claims he's innocent and that "I have a spotless 31-year career in law enforcement."
Who is Chief Tim Wallis?
A veteran police officer, Wallis was named as Lawrenceville PD's Chief in 2018, following a 20-year career with the department. Before that, he spent several years at the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Department where he began his career in 1991. Reportedly, he has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Georgia Southern University and a master's degree in public safety from Columbus State University.
At Lawrenceville, Wallis quickly rose from a patrol officer to Chief, with several certifications from the Georgia Peace Officers and Standards Training Council. He's a certified General Instructor, Firearms Instructor, and Motorcycle Instructor, the city's website says. Currently, Wallis also serves as the President of the Gwinnett County Police Chief Association. From his record, it appears he has a great reputation, but beneath that shiny surface, things seem to be quite different.
Allegations by female officers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the investigation into the department has led to action against three people - Wallis, assistant chief, Maj. Myron Walker, and Captain Christopher Ryan Morgan. While Wallis has been suspended, Walker will receive verbal counseling. Morgan reportedly retired before the probe was finished and will hence face no actions despite being found guilty of violating the city’s harassment policy.
The investigation was started in the fall of 2021, after one female officer met with the city's manager to complain of sexual harassment, leading to an independent investigation by a law firm. The investigation revealed Morgan made "lewd comments via text" to the unnamed officer, including asking for pictures of her breasts. During one conversation, Wallis reportedly told the officer, "You walk around here looking like a Hooters girl when the air conditioner’s not working. Are you working here or are you working at Hooters? Go get you some orange shorts on." That conversation was secretly recorded by the officer and submitted as part of the probe.
Walker has not been accused of harassment, but the probe noted that when approached, he did little to help the female officer. Both Walker and Wallis reportedly did not take the allegations seriously and investigate Morgan. Confirming the actions taken against the trio, Lawrenceville City Manager Chuck Warbington said, "I was disturbed by the findings" and "this is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.” The city has also mandated counseling and training for all employees as part of its cleanup efforts.