GBI: Canton Police Spokeswoman Subject of Investigation

Sgt. Stacy Bailey, the spokeswoman for the  and one of the , is the subject of a GBI criminal investigation, officials with both agencies said today.

Chief Bob Merchant on July 18 asked the GBI to "look into an expense from the ... Explorers fund," said Kim Williams, a special agent in the GBI's Cleveland, GA, office, which covers Cherokee County.

The Explorers program exposes teenagers to careers in law enforcement. Merchant said "information that was supplied to me from an individual that was involved in this particular matter" prompted him to request the GBI investigation.

"The information was turned over to them," he said.

Williams said her office has contacted the Cherokee County District Attorney's Office to "make them aware of the investigation" and will meet with officials in the DA's Office "when we conclude our investigation."

While she would not discuss the timeline of the case, she said the investigation is "ongoing."

The GBI investigation isn't the only concern for Bailey, who has been suspended with pay since July 18.

A Sandy Springs Police captain filed a report with the , alleging that Bailey made harassing phone calls to him after he ended their year-long affair in June, according to the Cherokee Tribune.

Messages left for Bailey have not been returned. In February, two months after the brutal murder of 7-year-old Jorelys Rivera, she helped  to teach children how to escape dangerous situations.

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