Captain suspended for fraternization prior to taking job at RCSO, recent investigation

Alexandra Koch, Augusta Chronicle
·4 min read

Following reports of multiple Richmond County Sheriff's Office deputies facing disciplinary action, the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council confirmed it has launched investigations into four deputies.

Capt. Brandon Douglas Beckman, Deputy Allison Haley Walker, Sgt. Aunarey V. Herbert and Cpl. Melissa Allen are the employees in question, according to Georgia POST records. POST investigations into Beckman and Walker were initiated on Sept. 25, while POST investigations into Herbert and Allen were initiated on Sept. 26.

The sheriff's office has yet to fulfill open records requests or answer inquiries related to the terminations and suspensions, citing the active investigation.

Beckman and Walker were terminated on Sept. 18, according to POST records. Herbert was given a disciplinary demotion to deputy on Sept. 13 and Allen was given a disciplinary demotion to deputy on Sept. 12.

After a review of more than 600 pages of personnel documents provided by the sheriff's office, here's what we know about each of the deputies under investigation:

Brandon Beckman was promoted to captain in 2021.
Brandon Beckman was promoted to captain in 2021.

Capt. Brandon Douglas Beckman

Beckman was hired by RCSO in May 1999 as a jailer and rose through the ranks, receiving a promotion to captain in September 2021.

As of Sept. 4, 2021, Beckman was earning a $70,000 annual salary, according to personnel records. He received the "Excellent Duty Award" and a number of letters of commendation spanning from 2004 to 2015.

While Beckman's superiors left glowing reviews in each of his annual performance reviews, he was cited for the following infractions during his 24-year career:

  • Issued a two-day suspension on May 1, 2001 for unsatisfactory performance related to missing information during a burglary investigation.

  • Issued an eight-day suspension on Nov. 26, 2001 for forgetting evidence in his patrol car trunk.

  • Deemed at fault for hitting a curb on April 1, 2003.

  • Issued a four-day suspension on May 2, 2007 for needlessly getting involved in a car chase.

  • Issued a two-day suspension on Dec. 4, 2010 after hitting a parked car with his child in the car.

Prior to joining the sheriff's office, Beckman was suspended from his assistant manager position at Walmart in 1996 for dating an hourly associate, according to RCSO records.

Deputy Allison Walker won an award in 2020 for outstanding leadership.
Deputy Allison Walker won an award in 2020 for outstanding leadership.

Deputy Allison Haley Walker

Walker was hired by RCSO in January 2020 and worked as a jailer before being promoted to a deputy in November 2020.

In 2022, Walker was promoted to a senior deputy, raising her annual salary to nearly $46,000, according to personnel records. She received positive performance reviews and did not receive any disciplinary action during her time with the agency.

Walker admitted to using marijuana "1-20 times" and ecstasy "once" in her application to the sheriff's office, according to records.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office awarded Aunarey V. Herbert for 15 years of service on July 25, 2013.
The Richmond County Sheriff's Office awarded Aunarey V. Herbert for 15 years of service on July 25, 2013.

Sgt. Aunarey V. Herbert

Herbert was hired by RCSO in May 1998, making him the longest-serving employee involved in the investigation.

He started off as a jailer and was most recently promoted to sergeant in 2012, according to records. While he was denied a lieutenant position he applied for in 2018, Herbert's annual salary was increased to more than $60,000 in 2021.

A supervisor on Herbert's annual performance wrote his "integrity is flawless," according to records. He also received multiple letters of commendation from leadership and members of the community.

However, Herbert has the most history of disciplinary action of all the deputies under investigation:

  • Issued a two-day suspension for unsatisfactory performance on Jan. 25, 2001.

  • Issued a one-day suspension on April 29, 2002 after failing to find a knife on a suspect before booking them into the jail.

  • Issued a three-day suspension for unsatisfactory performance on Jan. 12, 2003.

  • Issued a three-day suspension for not showing up to work on Jan. 15, 2003.

  • Issued a 10-day suspension on Sept. 9, 2005 for tackling a woman "for no reason," landing her in the hospital, according to records. He was also accused of calling two women a sexist slur during the incident.

  • Deemed at fault for a car wreck on March 9, 2007, causing $630 in damages.

  • Deemed at fault for causing nearly $1,000 in damages during a car wreck on March 26, 2011.

Melissa C. Allen was promoted to corporal in November 2018.
Melissa C. Allen was promoted to corporal in November 2018.

Cpl. Melissa C. Allen

Allen was hired by RCSO in March 2014 and most recently promoted to corporal in November 2018, according to records. She received a salary increase in December 2021, raising her annual pay to more than $49,000.

Superiors stated Allen conducted more area checks while on patrol than any other deputy on her shift and all annual performance reviews were strong, according to records.

The only disciplinary action she faced was a one-day suspension on Sept. 13, 2014 for bringing her gun into the jail while transporting an inmate, according to records.

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This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Four RCSO deputies under investigation, personnel files released