Columbus Police Department is trying to land big money to take a bite out of speeding and drunk driving.
Columbus City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a request by Chief Joseph Daughtry for funding through the Mississippi Department of Homeland Security Police Traffic Service Grant program.
The grants are designed to give departments a shot in the arm when it comes to overtime and equipment costs associated with traffic enforcement.
“Basically (the grants) will pay for overtime work and equipment for enforcing traffic,” Daughtry explained. “There are three categories: speeding, seat belt enforcement and (driving under the influence).”
The city is asking for $207,000 for fiscal year 2024 and $400,000 for FY 2025, Daughtry said. Officers who do traffic enforcement under the auspices of the grant may only do traffic work.
“If they need to go assist somebody or have to go work an emergency, they have to clock out of the grant and go back to regular time,” Daughtry said.
The grant will help balance the demands on the department’s overtime budget, Daughtry said.
“The police department has been tasked with a lot of functions, and that eats up our overtime budget,” Daughtry said. “We’re trying to find ways to get more officers on the street, and also to help our officers make additional income. That’s a big selling point for the young officers. We also have some officers who just love (traffic enforcement).”
Daughtry said he would also like to get more up-to-date equipment for his officers, and is also asking for two computerized card readers that would allow officers to simply swipe driver’s licenses to pull up driver information, as well as new portable breathalyzers.
“We have a couple (field breathalyzers) now, but we need some more,” Daughtry said. “A lot of the equipment we have is old and antiquated. It’s hard to ask officers to do a job with no equipment.”
Mayor Keith Gaskin, speaking at his Wednesday press conference, said he constantly hears complaints about reckless driving, especially speeding.
“People complain about speeding every day, all over the city,” Gaskin said. “You can almost walk outside of City Hall at any time of day and see somebody speeding. People must understand they have to abide by the laws. When you choose to speed you’re taking your own life in your hands, and others’ as well.”
Daughtry said he hopes to hear back from DPS in the next couple of months.
Mayor, council react to Dillon resignation
Gaskin, during his press conference, told The Dispatch he was saddened by the news that Public Information Officer Joe Dillon had chosen to resign.
Dillon announced his resignation Tuesday afternoon. He has served as PIO for almost eight years. Originally he was tasked with PIO duties, including issuing press releases for the mayor’s office and police department as well as organizing press conferences. Over time his duties expanded to assembling and deploying CPD’s surveillance cameras, helping with technology, running the live streams of city meetings and overseeing paperwork relating to disaster claims eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement.
Dillon is currently embroiled in a billing dispute with the city over about $56,000 in unpaid invoices for disaster mitigation work he did between 2019 and 2023. The work involved Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement for recovery costs in the wake of the February 2019 tornado and flooding events.
“I’m very disappointed that (Dillon) has decided to resign his position,” Gaskin said. “He has been a great asset to the city of Columbus for several years. His extensive knowledge of city operations, his professionalism and kindness were invaluable to me during the transition period after I was elected mayor.”
Gaskin said he thought the city needed to fill the position, but said there had been no discussions with the council yet about finding a replacement.
Vice Mayor and Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens told The Dispatch he thought it should be the mayor’s decision.
“I’ll let (Gaskin) make that call,” Mickens said. “Whatever he wants to do, because that’s a person that works closely with him.”
Mickens said he hated to see Dillon go.
“He was an asset to the city,” Mickens said. “That man did his job, he loved this city, and I have no fault with Joe Dillon. None whatsoever.”
Ward 3 Councilman Rusty Greene agreed.
“(Dillon) was very helpful to the city and he did a good job at what we needed him to do,” Greene said. “I don’t know how it’s going to work, but I think his position is needed and I hope we can find someone who can fill it and do well.”
Ward 4 Councilman Pierre Beard called Dillon’s resignation a “shocker.”
“He was a big asset to the city and I’m sad to see him go,” Beard said. “We need to see all of the things that he was doing, because he had a lot of roles he filled. I feel like that position will definitely have to be replaced.”
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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