Atlanta, Ind. (WISH-TV) -
A small Indiana town is without a town marshal.
City council members fired Atlanta, Ind.'s top cop during a council meeting Tuesday night.
Council members are not talking to the media about the reason or reasons why they fired Jai Cook.
"They clearly told me, well (Council President) Mr. Emmert did, that it was personal,” Cook said. “When I told him he was making it personal he said, ‘You're damn right it's personal.’"
Cook describes his termination as a grudge match or small town politics at their worst. He is currently living with council president Andy Emmert's wife. Emmert is getting a divorce.
According to Cook, tensions between the two men reached new heights on Friday. Cook says that is when Emmert began yelling at Emmert’s daughter’s boyfriend. The teen, who is from Pennsylvania, was visiting Atlanta, Ind. for the first time. He had never met his girlfriend's parents.
"I'm glad I didn't eat lunch because I was so nervous I probably would have puked it back up. He was in my face. (He told me) my age is inappropriate, our relationship is inappropriate. Me travelling across the country to see her is inappropriate," said 18-year-old Cody Grimm.
Cook, town marshal at the time, says he witnessed Emmert shouting at and dressing down the teen. Cook decided to file criminal charges against Emmert for disorderly conduct. Emmert found out and confronted Cook. Cook said Emmert confronted him about filing the charges
The former top cop says council members suspended him indefinitely that afternoon. On Tuesday night they made it official.
Residents aren't happy.
"I thought it was it was crap,” resident Larry Dautrich said. “They had no reason to do it as far as I know.”
Another resident agreed.
"If they fired him because of personal reasons, I do not think that is fair," said Stan Cherry.
Cook is now out of a job. He is hiring a lawyer to fight his dismissal. The Hamilton County prosecutor is now looking into the disorderly conduct charge filed against Emmert.
The fact of the matter is there are two issues here. Andy didn't vote on Jai being fired!!! Fact!!! He stayed out of it. Two: Robyn and Jai, they are and have made some bad choices and continue to do so. Both could and have been good people and good for the town even, BUT, me personally wouldn't want anyone in charge of anything in my town that is willing to lie to their loved ones. Both Robyn and Jai has done so. Kids are products of their parents, Robyn is teaching her kids the wrong things by leaving her husband and living with boyfriend and then letting her 17yr old daughter have a guy move in. There is a other little girl (7yr old) watching all this!!! Wake up and be responsible parents!!! KEEP THE KIDS OUT OF THE MIDDLE OF ALL THIS!!! Lead by example!
ReplyDeleteIs John Woods still a Atlanta Cop?
ReplyDeleteThat "Kid" knocked up Emmerts daughter this summer and was coming to town to meet her dad. I guess that didnt go over very well!!
ReplyDeleteThis is gonna be a HOG ROAST!
First of all, I know the people involved personally and quite honestly this entire situation is ridiculous!! Jai Cook is a dispicable, self serving, immoral human being! He is a bully to children/teenagers and his only agenda is to please himself. I've seen him break down marriages faster than you can blink. I wouldn't want him to be responsible for serving and protecting my dog, let alone an entire town of people. And Robyn you should be ashamed of yourself for allowing a man that you don't even know move in with your teenage daughter ....what kind of mother are you?? If I were Andy I would have been steaming mad also!! And the fact that you and Jai were seeing each other prior to your separation from Andy makes you not only an adulterer and him as well (since he was married) but it is just one more reason why neither of you are fit to raise children! Why don't you both stop behaving like immature idiots and start taking care of the children you have created, by setting a good example for them! Better yet, both of you should just move so that the town isn't bothered any longer by the "Jerry Springer" like circumstances that the two of you have created!
ReplyDeletePS - Watch out Robyn, I heard Jai is partial to teen girls he might just try and trade you in for your daughter!! SICKO!!
ReplyDeleteSammy that last line was a little harsh! Besides everyone knows that Jai has cheated on ALL of his wives, so hang in there Andy you'll get her back. Although I'm not sure I would want her now!! TEAM ANDY!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is a stupid blog that is not reporting the correct info
ReplyDeleteHelp me out, Mr. Anonymous. What isn't correct about it?
ReplyDeletePlaces like Atlanta, Arcadia, Sheridan, etc. are all the midpoint from the motherland (usually Kentucky or West Virgina) before they finally get the call up to live in real America.
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe the residents of Atlanta allow this to happen?
ReplyDeleteThe town residents need to fix this problem and clean out town hall. There are plenty of people out there that can bring integrity to the town. This is a black eye that will last a long time. This is how bad reputations are made.
that is the way it works in that town for marshals.. work 1-2yrs at the most and you're outta here!!! 7-8 in last 15yrs
ReplyDeleteI have personally watched Jai "go through" two wives being domestically violent with both of them. I give them credit for getting away from him. Not only that but the string of women he has lied to and strung along, his multiple relationships from dating websites, and he has no shame in sharing this life with his own daughters. It's just sad.....what is he showing them about adult relationships?!?! (Jess, I'd go for full custody with supervised visits since this is the life he continues to lead...for their mental, emotional, & physical well being)(Jen, we thankful you got your son away...imagine the man he would have taught him to be?? & that u have no children with him)
ReplyDeleteI personally am thankful the egotistical, arrogant, self-serving, power tripped jackass is no longer in or around my or my families lives.
Robyn, really what kind of mother allows a young man who she knows little about into her home with a small child of her own and small daughters of Jai's.
Jai, what kind of father are you? Would you allow that for your own?? Plus, the fact you have to co-parent with mother/father of your children whether you like them or not.
Either way Jai's firing was right or wrong.....let's look at who he really is....do you want that as a leader of your community!!
Sounds like the first thing I would do if I was Jai is go to the clinic and get checked out for STDs.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous why dont you post your real name? Funny you just sound like a scorned ex wife of Jai's maybe
ReplyDeleteI am not a scorned ex wife of Jai's in anyway. I'm not a scorned ex girlfriend or in anyway romantically linked to that man. I am simply a person who has unfortunately witnessed the destructilve path of this "so called" man first hand. My prayers are with his children for they suffer in his choices.
ReplyDeleteMegan, I don't post my name as for the same reason many of the officers don't in the interviews or posts.....a persons career has to have protection from this man.
ReplyDeleteDidn't Mr Cook work there before he was the marshal and quit to work at sheridan, and sue atlanta and win?? Then the same town board rehire him a year or so later?? sounds like that council loves lawsuits!!! hard to tell which is dumber, cook or the council!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteJai Cook is BAD NEWS!!! He is a woman abuser, a liar, a thief from the town and a drug abuser. Give him a drug test, PLEASE!
ReplyDeleteCheck his expense reports with the town!!
Yes, Jai worked for the town once before and sued for 10,000 and his "buddy" Andy made sure he got paid. He then went to Sheridan for awhile and then come back to be Marshal thanks to his ol buddy pal Andy! Then he stuck something where it should of never been, and played in Andy's front yard. He a buddy alright. Andy has had it out for him every since then. Check all the public records on how much the towm paid Jai before, Ive even heard it might of been more.
ReplyDeleteOh jai, what have you done...? :(
ReplyDeleteYou cant stop what's comming...just man up to your sins and go forward and do great things.
I didn't know Jennifer (3rd ex-wife)very well, but she was such a delight. She always said hi to everyone and was always smiling. I remember many days seeing her walk to town hall and bring Jai lunch. My husband said he was a lucky man. One night we were out walking our dog and we heard him screaming at her, it was terrible. I felt so bad, I don't know how she stayed as long as she did. She lost quite a bit of weight and now I know why, it had to have been the stress of living with that cheating monster.
ReplyDelete2 officers from Sheridan are heading to Atlanta...back and forth, all of them.
ReplyDelete