An internal affairs report says former Soddy Daisy Police Chief Jeff Gann met at a hotel in Dayton with the wife of a Soddy Daisy officer who had recently suffered a stroke.

The investigation was carried out by the Sheriff's Office at the request of Soddy Daisy City Manager Janice Cagle.

Ms.

Cagle said she was told on Feb. 3 that Gann had been seen at mid-day on Jan. 30 at the Holiday Inn Express in Dayton renting a room. A short time later Donna Thompson, wife of Jamie Thompson, arrived at the hotel. Afterward, Ms. Thompson walked out of the hotel followed a short time later by Gann.

Allegations of conduct unbecoming an officer and unauthorized use of a vehicle were sustained.

Sheriff investigators found that during the work day Gann drove to Dayton and parked in front of the hotel. He went into the lobby at 12:40 and tried to rent a room using cash. He was told he would have to show a credit card. He said he would only need the room a couple of hours. He finally provided the credit card.

He started toward the hotel room at 12:46 p.m., and at 1:11 Ms. Thompson arrived and went toward the room. She was described on video as a white female wearing a white shirt, dark pants and sunglasses. Her dark hair was pulled up in a bun.

At 2:42 p.m., Ms. Thompson left the hotel. Gann left at 2:51 p.m. He was seen outside "shadow walking" just outside the view of the camera.

On Sunday night at the church where he is one of the leaders, Christ Family Church in Soddy Daisy, pastor Calvin Nunley advised the congregation that unfavorable news would be coming out the next day about Gann.

He said Gann had "done wrong" and had owned up to it.

The pastor said Gann stated, "I did wrong. I've ruined my life." But the pastor said he was not ruined in the eyes of "a redeeming God." 

He said it was a hard time for the Gann family, but they were trying to work through it. He said it had been agreed that Gann and his wife receive counseling from a pastor at another church.

Pastor Nunley asked the congregation to "give them all the love you can. He needs your love."

He said Jeff Gann was one of the three men most responsible for the success of the church.

Video of the Sunday night service was initially on the church's Facebook page, but it was later taken down. 

At the time of his sudden resignation on Feb. 7, City Manager Janice Cagle said, "Chief Gann gave me his resignation late this afternoon. He gave no reason." The report says she told him earlier that day he was suspended with pay, then he emailed that he was resigning. 

He had been sworn into the post in October 2018.

In early November, Gann was among Soddy Daisy Police personnel taking part in an autism walk in Chattanooga. He said at the time, "We have an officer, Jamie Thompson, who has a son that is autistic. We started learning through Jamie Thompson that there is a need--and there is a want--to help autism.” At the time officer Thompson was recovering from a stroke he had two weeks earlier.

Chief Gann had replaced Chief Phillip Hamrick who retired. At the time he had been in the Soddy Daisy Police Department for 21 years, and had served as acting police chief during the two years when Chief Hamrick was deployed by military service.

At the time, City Manager Cagle said the new chief "is known to be a hard worker and takes advantage of any training that is available. He is a member of multiple law enforcement organizations. He represents our city so well.”