Law enforcement officers are searching for a Brookhaven man whoallegedly bolted from the jail while being booked in Saturdayafternoon, said Sheriff Wiley Calcote.

Patrick Littleton, 28, of 326 Fern Lane, Brookhaven, is notbelieved to be dangerous, the sheriff said.

Littleton was brought to the jail by the Brookhaven PoliceDepartment on a bench warrant, possibly related to an indictmentfor unlawful sale of cocaine, Calcote said. The officer left theman in the booking room, where a jailer was taking information onanother suspect.

“When someone either came in or left, he went through the sallyport area and jumped the fence,” the sheriff said.

Three jailers, who not identified, violated jail protocol andhave been suspended as a result of the escape, Calcote said.

“Each one of these jailers has received a couple of days offwithout pay,” he said.

At least two jailers were in the booking room at the time of theescape, Calcote said.

“While it is true that someone was walking in or out that door,it shouldn’t have happened,” he said. “A policy is already inplace. It was just not followed as it should have been.”

There was a short foot chase during the escape, Calcote said,but jailers did not catch him. A search, assisted by the policedepartment, followed.

“He was not booked in yet and was still in civilian clothes, sohe could easily blend in with the public,” the sheriff said.

Calcote said he does not believe Littleton has left the area.The sheriff is asking residents with information on his whereaboutsto call the sheriff’s department.