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.
How to Read and Understand the News
Truth doesn’t bend because we dislike it.
Facts don’t vanish when they make us uncomfortable.
Events happen whether we accept them or not.
Good reporting challenges us. The press isn’t choosing sides — it’s relaying what official, verified sources say. Blaming reporters for bad news is like blaming a thermometer for a fever.
Americans have a history of misunderstanding simple things. In the 1980s, A&W rolled out a 1/3-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. It failed because too many people thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If we can botch basic math, we can certainly misread the news.
Before dismissing a story, ask yourself:
- What evidence backs this?
- Am I reacting to facts or feelings?
- What would change my mind?
- Am I just shooting the messenger?
And one more: Am I assuming bias just because I don’t like the story?
Smart news consumers seek truth, not comfort.
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.
