Only on News 12 at 6 o'clock, December 9, 2009

SARDIS, Ga. --- The GBI is investigating a Sardis police officer who is accused of taking a nude photo of himself at the job.

The Sardis chief of police says if true, it's a move that may cost the officer his job. Chief John Finley spoke exclusively to News 12 about the investigation.

The small Burke County town of Sardis only has five full time officers. Now one of them is facing tough allegations.

It began when News 12 obtained this nude picture. The photo is allegedly a Sardis police officer taking a self portrait inside what appears to be the police department, exposed from the thighs up.

It was an allegation strong enough to bring Sardis Police Chief John Finley to News 12 to see the photo for himself. "I'm as shocked as you are about this," Chief Finley said. "I've just become aware of it recently in the last 24 hours and i take it very seriously. This is something to be concerned about."

"It's really bad," Chief Finley continued. "I hate to see something--one person make a dumb action, that's an embarrassment to the whole department."

Within minutes, Chief Finley was already planning his next move. "It's kind of like a compound problem. We got nude pictures of an officer but also with it then being in the police department or allegedly being in the department. I'm going to have it looked at by a photographic expert and see if the photo is authenticated or if it was in any way altered, and based on that, there will be a full investigation."

The GBI says they got involved at the request of the district attorney. The officer in question tells News 12 he's never taken a nude photo of himself on the job or off. The D.A. wants agents to expose all the facts.

"In general he was a good officer, but that really doesn't matter at this point," said Chief Finley. "I don't think any community would be very thrilled with an officer having a nude picture of himself in the public eye."

If proven true, it's a snap decision the chief says could cost the man his badge, for conduct unbecoming of an officer.

The GBI is trying to determine if this photo is legit and whether it was distributed illegally.

The officer in question also tells News 12 it is his face and his chest in the photo, but he maintains the lower region is not him. His theory is someone altered a preexisting photo of him.