Officer Sam Bowen was terminated in October 2023 for sending instant messages on department equipment that contained derogatory language referring to African Americans, Jewish people, the LGBT community, and individuals with intellectual disabilities. These messages were exchanged between July 2021 and July 2023. Bowen filed a federal lawsuit alleging retaliation by Chief Jim Ison for his critical Facebook posts about the department. The lawsuit was dismissed in February 2025, with the judge ruling in favor of the City of Greenwood.

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