A driver pulled over June 29 on Main Street by Woodstock officers was forcibly arrested by Officer Justin Davis. After reviewing body‑worn camera footage, the department dropped charges, opened an internal investigation, and on July 3 terminated Davis for violating multiple use‑of‑force policies .
What We Know:
• The traffic stop occurred at about 9:58 p.m. Sunday, June 29 on Main Street, during which the driver was cited for speeding and reckless driving.
• Woodstock police reviewed the body camera footage and found the force unjustified, and asked municipal court to dismiss charges.
• Davis was placed on administrative leave June 30. A formal complaint from the driver triggered involvement from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
• On July 3, Davis was terminated for multiple policy violations, including excessive force. Other officers present were cleared.
By The Numbers:
- Stop time: about 9:58 p.m., June 29
- Internal review opened: June 30
- Complaint filed: July 1
- Investigation completed and termination: July 3
In Context: Georgia requires police departments to immediately review and act on use‑of‑force incidents captured on body camera footage. In 2020, a Cherokee County grand jury cleared a Woodstock sergeant in a separate baton‑use incident.
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Before You Dismiss This Article…
We live in a time when information feels overwhelming, but here’s what hasn’t changed: facts exist whether they comfort us or not.
When A&W launched their third-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder in the 1980s, it failed spectacularly. Not because it tasted worse, but because customers thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If basic math can trip us up, imagine how easily we can misread complex news.
The press isn’t against you when it reports something you don’t want to hear. Reporters are thermometers, not the fever itself. They’re telling you what verified sources are saying, not taking sides. Good reporting should challenge you — that’s literally the job.
Next time a story makes you angry, pause. Ask yourself: What evidence backs this up? Am I reacting with my brain or my gut? What would actually change my mind? And most importantly, am I assuming bias just because the story doesn’t match what I hoped to hear.
Smart readers choose verified information over their own comfort zone.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
