Former Savannah-Chatham police chief Willie Lovett

Savannah city officials are asking Georgia’s Attorney General to weigh in on whether the city can revoke some or all of former Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Chief Willie Lovett’s pension.

Lovett has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison after being convicted of gambling and other federal corruption charges stemming from his time as chief. But he’ll still collect his $130,000 annual city pension.

At a city council work session on Thursday, City Attorney Brooks Stillwell said the city can’t change that under state law.

Alderwoman Mary Ellen Sprague said she's not content with that answer.

“I think that no stone should be unturned to bring him to better justice in terms of the monetary value of his pension,” Sprague said.

But some council members expressed concern that the anger over Lovett’s pension is vindictive.

Mayor Edna Jackson and the city council are directing Stillwell to write to request guidance from the state attorney general regarding their options under state law.

But Alderman John Hall said he's worried council is going too far.

“All of this about ‘no stone unturned, find whatever reasons you can to forfeit this man's pension,’ this is sounding very vindictive to me,” Hall said.

Hall said the council has to follow the law regardless of how members feel about Lovett's actions.

Tags: Lovett, police corruption, crime, GPB Savannah, GPB News