Update: Douglasville Council Votes to Keep Police Chief

Update: Fox 5 has reported that embattled Douglasville Police Chief Chris Womack, who was in hot water over recent comments he made about his department's pay and attrition, is going to stick around. The City Council voted Monday in a closed meeting to keep Womack.

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Earlier post:

A social media push in Douglasville, Ga., has been building in support of the city’s police chief, who has come under fire for recent comments he made about the state of the department’s staffing.

Chief Chris Womack’s job is apparently in jeopardy, according to this Fox5 report, for controversial comments that the department was losing officers because of pay.

In a recent Douglas County Sentinel article, Womack was quoted as saying, “You want a major league all-star team, but want to pay college-level salaries.”

The Sentinel reported the City Council was expected to meet Monday in a closed meeting to discuss the chief’s comments. Fox 5 reported the city is contemplating replacing Womack.

The community has rallied behind the chief by creating a Facebook page called We Stand With Chris. The page had more than 1,200 likes as of Monday morning, just two days after it was created.

The controversy started when Womack, who has been chief since June 1, 2009, said in a Douglas County Sentinel article published on July 13 that the department is losing officers to other agencies offering better pay.

The newspaper said the department is allotted 94 positions, currently has eight vacancies and offers a starting salary of around $36,000 per year. Four officers have resigned this month, the newspaper said. Fox5 reported more than a dozen officers have quit or on leave.

“We’re seriously to the point where I’m concerned to the level of service for our citizens and the safety of our officers,” Womack said in the Sentinel article.

The Sentinel post a poll Monday, asking readers if the chief should be fired for speaking out on officer pay. Around 75 percent voted that chief should be commended for his honesty on the issue.

The city has declined to comment on the matter, calling it a personnel issue.