A Gwinnett County jailer is expected to be fired pending an investigation opened by the sheriff’s office after she was arrested and accused of committing simple battery against an inmate.
The sheriff’s office said it quickly opened an investigation into Master Jailer Theresa Bell after her alleged misconduct was reported Thursday.
The investigation led Bell, a five-year employee, to be placed on administrative leave Friday, the agency said. She was also notified that her employment would be terminated if the investigation confirmed her misconduct.
Officials did not describe the incident that led to Bell’s arrest on a simple battery charge, but the agency’s statement referenced the use of “unnecessary force.”
“Conduct of this nature will not be tolerated by our staff,” Sheriff Keybo Taylor said in the statement. “I want the community to know that we hold our employees to the highest standards of professionalism. Employees should treat everyone they encounter with respect and dignity.”
Bell was detained at the Gwinnett jail Friday with bond, though it’s not clear if she was ever officially booked into the facility. Bell does not appear on the current inmate roster or list of released inmates, and police did not share the amount of her bond.
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