Roswell Master Police Officer James “Brad” Hill Fired After Misconduct Investigations.
Roswell, Georgia Master Police Officer James “Brad” Hill became part of a broader misconduct scandal inside the Roswell Police Department after investigative reporting exposed multiple incidents that had remained largely hidden from public view. Hill was ultimately fired on November 16, 2018, after the department sustained policy violations connected to two internal affairs matters.
According to 11Alive Investigators, Hill had previously received only verbal counseling for failing to respond when another officer was dealing with a life-threatening medical emergency involving a handcuffed suspect who had lost consciousness in the back of a patrol car. The suspect had apparently overdosed on opioids, and responding officers eventually used Narcan and rushed him toward medical care.
What made Hill’s conduct especially troubling was his proximity to the emergency. 11Alive reported that Hill was the closest Roswell officer, about 1.3 miles away, but GPS data showed his cruiser did not move while other Roswell officers drove past with lights and sirens activated.
During the internal affairs review, Hill reportedly gave several explanations for not responding, including that he had not been dispatched, that the incident was outside Roswell’s jurisdiction in Alpharetta, and that the officer involved had requested an ambulance rather than additional officers. However, 11Alive also reported that Hill acknowledged another factor: he was already under internal investigation and did not want to get into more trouble.
The Freezing-Car Incident Involving A 13-Year-Old Boy
Hill was also connected to one of the most disturbing Roswell Police Department incidents uncovered during that period: the detention of a 13-year-old boy in a freezing patrol car. In that incident, Roswell officers detained a teenager who had been found driving a golf cart shortly after midnight on a cold January night.
ABC News reported that body camera footage showed Sgt. Daniel Elzey attempting to “freeze out” the teenager by turning off the heat and lowering the windows of the patrol car while the boy was handcuffed in the back seat. The tactic was allegedly used to pressure the boy into giving officers information.
Other coverage of the incident reported that temperatures were in the 20s or low 30s and that the boy’s clothing was wet or frozen. According to WSB-TV, the boy could be heard saying things such as “I don’t want to go to jail,” “I can’t feel my wrists,” and “I just want to go home.”
11Alive reported that Hill was one of the officers present during the freezing-car incident and that Hill and another officer had noted the boy was special needs, using Roswell Police Department code “24,” meaning emotionally disturbed.
Promotion While Under Investigation
One of the more controversial parts of the Hill case was the timing of his promotion. According to 11Alive, Hill was promoted to Master Police Officer while he was under internal investigation for both the freezing-car incident and the failure-to-respond incident. That promotion reportedly frustrated other officers, including officers who had responded to the overdose emergency.
11Alive reported that days after its investigators requested Hill’s GPS data, then-Chief Rusty Grant offered Hill the chance to resign. Hill refused, reportedly because it would have been reported to the state as a resignation under investigation. He was later fired.
Termination Letter Cited Multiple Policy Violations
A copy of Hill’s termination letter, addressed to James “Brad” Hill, Master Police Officer, and signed by Roswell Police Chief Rusty Grant, stated that the department sustained findings that Hill violated Roswell Police Department policy and City of Roswell human resources policy.
The termination letter referenced complaint reports FI 18-008 and FI 18-010 and cited several policy areas, including duty regarding conduct, prompt performance of duty, neglect of duty, duty to respond to calls, conduct unbecoming, and failure to perform at an acceptable level. The letter ordered Hill terminated from employment with the City of Roswell effective November 16, 2018.
A Department Already Under Scrutiny
Hill’s firing did not happen in isolation. The Roswell Police Department was already facing public scrutiny after body camera videos and internal records exposed multiple controversial incidents, including officers using a coin-flip app while deciding whether to arrest a driver and the freezing-car incident involving the 13-year-old boy.
The misconduct revelations contributed to broader questions about supervision, accountability, discipline, transparency, and public trust inside the Roswell Police Department. 11Alive later reported that a department audit followed its investigations and that the audit echoed claims involving fear and intimidation, even while much of the audit was otherwise positive.
In Hill’s case, the central issue was not simply one bad decision. The record described an officer who failed to respond to a fellow officer’s emergency, was connected to a disturbing detention involving a child in freezing conditions, and was promoted while under investigation before finally being fired.
For a police department, public trust depends on more than arrests, uniforms, and official statements. It depends on officers responding when people are in danger, protecting vulnerable people rather than exploiting them, and departments being honest when their own employees fail. The James “Brad” Hill case remains another example of why internal accountability and outside scrutiny matter.
