The city of Columbus and Lowndes County agreed to the terms of an inter-local agreement Tuesday that will restart a county-wide drug task force.
Tuesday’s actions could revive the joint unit that dissolved nearly five years ago following a staffing disagreement among the former task force’s leadership.
The new task force will consist of eight officers, with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and Columbus Police Department each contributing four.
LCSO already has four narcotics officers that will serve on the task force, according to Sheriff Mike Arledge.
The county board of supervisors approved the agreement 4-0 — District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks was absent from the meeting –Tuesday morning. City councilmen unanimously approved the agreement in a special-called meeting later in the day.
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood’s office must approve the agreement before it takes effect.
Once the agreement receives final approval, the city has 14 days to appoint the first two officers to the task force, and 30 days to appoint the third and fourth officers.
LCSO Capt. Archie Williams will serve as the task force commander, and Arledge will oversee the unit.
“We (LCSO) go county-wide anyway, and a lot of our investigations lead us back into city limits,” Williams said. “Of course, it’s a more populated area. This will actually help — not only help us, but it will help the city hopefully on some of their violent crime and such that they have going on.
“Violent crime and drugs often go hand-in-hand,” Williams continued. “If we can get inside the city and do some real good enforcement, I hope it will help them out.”
Background
The city and county have previously worked together on a drug task force. That force, the Metro Narcotics Unit, ended in 2012 when a rift between former CPD Chief Selvain McQueen and Arledge emerged over hiring then-CPD officer Eric Lewis as the sixth officer for the unit.
Under the previous agreement, the sheriff and police chief appointed task force members. The new agreement allows the city to appoint the first four officers to the task force. After that, new members must be approved with the unanimous consent of task force officers.
“The task force will be able to interview them and choose the one they want,” Arledge said. “Not somebody the board of supervisors or city councilmen or somebody the community wants. It’s going to be the task force to determine that.”
Arledge also noted, after questioning from Board of Supervisors President Harry Sanders Tuesday morning, that either entity can terminate the agreement, if needed.
Tuesday afternoon, city councilmen also unanimously approved paying up to $40,000 for a city law enforcement SUV to use with the task force. LCSO already has suitable vehicles for the force.
Columbus Mayor Robert Smith, after the special-called council meeting, said he felt it was long past time for the city and county to renew the task force. He lauded city and county officials for working together to form the agreement and said there’s a “great need” for the task force.
“We all know, especially within the city, 80 to 85 percent of the crime that occurs is drug-related,” he said. “This is another way to help decrease crime within the city. Public safety is a top priority within the city.”
Turner concerns
Though he ultimately voted in favor of the agreement and vehicle purchase, Ward 4 Councilman Marty Turner voiced concerns about both during Tuesday’s council meeting.
“It sounds like the agreement is that the city will pay officers to work for the sheriff,” Turner said. “I can’t agree to that. We’re going to provide a vehicle and pay for four of them and they’re under the direction of the sheriff? I can’t agree to that — I don’t think that’s fair to the people.”
Turner further took issue with the task force’s structure, noting that only Arledge oversees the unit, rather than in conjunction with CPD Chief Oscar Lewis.
City Attorney Jeff Turnage noted that any personnel issues related to a task force member who is a CPD officer are still under the city’s purview.
Arledge also said as much during the board of supervisors meeting.
“If there’s any issue with that employee, we’ll turn them back over to the proper person, or if there’s any kind of discipline or day-to-day operations,” he said. “But as far as the actual drug enforcement, the task force commander and myself will be in charge of that.”
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.