History is replete with tales of power. One might even argue that it’s the central issue in history, the axis upon which the tales of time revolve. Whatever the historical story, it’s usually somehow related to some guy jockeying for more power.

While the United States’ unique form of government changed the rules of this game, it did not eradicate it. Many local governments still vest a great deal of power in city managers or mayors, granting them sweeping authority to hire and fire employees at will. The realities of politics mean that this power is typically employed quietly in backrooms. For one Georgia town, though, the wording of their charter and a dustup involving the town clerk gave a glimpse into how dangerous these arrangements can be.

Cohutta is a small town of around 800 people. The local government has around 20 employees. Its police department appears to include a couple of full-time officers, a probation officer and half a dozen part-time police officers. The city webpage features an aerial shot of the place, which depicts tree-lined streets, old houses and the local school at the edge of town. A page about local events is headlined with the phrase “Small town. Friendly faces. Neighbors who care.”

As in many small towns, though, there’s a great deal of drama in the background. Instead of illicit affairs or financial problems, Cohutta’s latest has to do with the local government. While details are somewhat spotty on how the standoff started, it appears that the town clerk was fired after complaints she had created a hostile work environment. Several police officers became concerned and submitted complaint letters to the town when they discovered the clerk continued to have access to sensitive data and payroll systems after her termination.

Mayor Ron Shinnick, who was elected in 2014, turns out to be married to Pam Shinnick, the town clerk in question. It also appears that he didn’t care for the fuss the officers were making about her.

After some back and forth (and probably a great deal of gossip around the town), the mayor and police chief made a joint public statement. On April 30, Police Chief Greg Fowler read a statement indicating that the department and mayor were “able to come together, resolved concerns and reaffirm our shared commitment to serving the citizens of Cohutta with integrity and respect.” Area media shows images of the chief leaning against a podium and delivering the statement, as Shinnick watches from a few feet away, from the vantage of his mayoral seat. Other local news shows photos of the mayor shaking the hands of officers as the cameras look on.

A few days later, on May 6, residents found a sign on the door of the police department, stating that the agency had been dissolved by order of the mayor. The mayor’s public statements after this claimed that they’d been fired for social media posts.

“When I heard that there was no policeman — I’m a widow living on two acres by myself with a little tiny little dog — I was scared,” a resident told WAFB News.

Things moved rather quickly after that. On May 7, the Cohutta Town Council began meeting to discuss the situation. By May 9, the department was back on patrol. The Town Council found language in the city charter indicating that the mayor can’t just unilaterally dissolve an entire police department on his own. They also passed legislation to prevent him from taking any action to do with the police department for 30 days, while they explore options on how to deal with him.

It’s a strange situation, but probably not that far off from the squabbles that happen in all towns, small and large. While most of those squabbles don’t wind up in the public eye the way that Cohutta’s have, they certainly exist. They’re part of human nature. The potential misuse of power affects everyone, but it touches police officers more than most. Officers typically work for a local government, but they’re held accountable by state regulatory agencies. In a larger sense, their oath holds them to a higher standard than many other government employees. This arrangement can often place them in difficult situations. Granting sweeping powers to mayors and city managers can often have profound consequences.

For the officers of Cohutta, at least, the system worked. While the charter granted the mayor sweeping powers, they weren’t absolute. The city council was able to check his move. All of the officers have been reinstated, with back pay, and are back on patrol.

On May 15, Mayor Shinnick resigned, citing family “health concerns.”