Melissa Rolfe is the stepmother of Garrett Rolfe, the former Atlanta Police Department officer currently being held without bail on a charge of felony murder in the fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks. Tucker Carlson broke the story about her being fired from her position with Equity Mortgage LLC last week.
This morning on Glenn Beck’s radio show, Rolfe spoke publicly for the first time about what happened. Keep in mind, she served as the company’s human resources director until her termination.
Rolfe reports the family is standing together and has received messages of support from people worldwide. She said they are not worried about their safety at this time and that she is overwhelmed by the prayers they have received not just for Garrett and the situation in Atlanta, but for our nation.
She reports the family is shocked by the action taken by Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard. While it is heartbreaking for the family, they are waiting for the conclusion of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation probe. Before charging Garrett Rolfe, the district attorney did not wait for the outside agency to complete the investigation it was requested to conduct. He also did not impanel a grand jury.
Melissa Rolfe’s last day in the office before being terminated was Friday, June 12. The shooting occurred that evening, and she was under the impression she had the support of her employer while she was on leave. On June 18, the family accompanied Garrett when he turned himself in following the DA’s charging decision. When she got home, she returned a missed call from her employer.
According to Rolfe, the call lasted a mere 56 seconds. Her direct supervisor informed her they were terminating their employment relationship. When Rolfe asked why, the supervisor said he couldn’t tell her. Having been a human resources director myself, it is highly unusual to terminate someone with no notice and without a stated reason. Even in at-will employment situations, this is a bad practice.
Since Carlson reported Rolfe’s termination, the company has posted a statement on its website. It states Rolfe’s views created a hostile work environment. She says this is a completely false and hurtful statement.
Because they will not specify a reason for her termination, let alone which views she expressed that caused a problem in the workplace, Rolfe does not want to speculate. However, she does find the timing coincidental, to say the least.
She added that she was not going to be scared into silence because that would not be right. Rolfe is very concerned at the relentless attacks against law enforcement, not just in Atlanta, but across the country. She is going to continue to support her son and advocate for the profession.
When Beck asked her if she would encourage her son to go back into law enforcement if he is cleared, Rolfe said her heart would say no. However, she says Garrett, like most officers she knows, loves his profession. She has never heard any accusations that his behavior was not above board, and she knows him to be kind and compassionate. If he chose to return to a career in law enforcement, the family would support that decision.
While she did say being terminated from her job was adding to the stress the family is already under, she is more focused on supporting her son and the law enforcement community. She states she will find a way to weather the job loss, even though it was a shock.
When asked about the financial burden this would cause given the need for Garrett to have excellent representation, she noted that donations to his defense fund have been generous. It is currently being managed by a local law enforcement support group, Georgia Law Enforcement Organization. Georgia LEO works to support officers in their personal and professional lives through various programs.
Garrett’s attorney, Lance LoRusso, was interviewed by ABC News, and Garrett Rolfe’s next court date is Tuesday to seek bond.
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