In his first meeting with city police officers since becoming the department’s consultant, K.B. Turner sought to alleviate concerns that he had a hidden agenda.
Citing his 30-plus years working in law enforcement, Turner also tried to assure the officers he is “one of them.”
“I have a decent understanding of some of the concerns that you have,” he said.
Turner, chairman for the University of Memphis Criminology and Criminal Justice Department, spoke with officers for about an hour Monday in the Municipal Complex. Most of the meeting took place behind closed doors, though media was invited for a public introduction where Turner highlighted his previous work in investigations, officer training and undercover work.
“I did everything you could imagine that could be done, and I enjoyed all of it,” he said.
He also told officers he had not been hired because of any one person or issue in the department.
“No one’s told me to come here and say, ‘Do this. Look at this person.’… That didn’t happen,” Turner said. “If it had, I wouldn’t be here.”
Columbus City Council hired Turner as a consultant earlier this month following statements from Police Chief Oscar Lewis that crime is on the rise in Columbus because of a biblical prophesy concerning the end times.
The city is paying Turner’s firm, Turners Enterprises, $19,000 for a six-month contract.
Turner spoke only to the police department personnel, Columbus Mayor Robert Smith and City Attorney Jeff Turnage. Smith said all the officers, including patrol officers, were present for the meeting, thanks to deputies from the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office temporarily helping with city patrols.
Turner said after the meeting that he intended the talk to be primarily an introduction and did not take specific questions from officers. However, he said, he plans to have one-on-one meetings with officers in the coming days.
Turner also promised to begin meeting with citizens at public safety community forums in each ward in the coming weeks. The first forum will be at Townsend Community Center at 6:30 p.m. Monday.
Mayor: CPD needs ‘hands-on’ leadership
Smith said he was encouraged by Monday’s meeting, adding that the city’s police officers would be seeing much more of Turner in the next six months.
Specifically, Smith said Turner promised he would go along with officers on some of their calls and even assist with investigations.
Smith further encouraged officers to look at Turner as “a team player.”
“He wants the department, when all is said and done, to be one of the better departments within the state of Mississippi,” Smith said.
CPD, budgeted for 67 officers, reached a low of 44 late last year before the council approved pay raises and a take-home patrol care policy Smith said had raised morale. The department has also grown to 51 officers.
Smith said he hopes Turner’s consultation keeps pushing the police department forward. He added that officers want their leadership to be more hands-on.
“When I say leadership … I guess they want the leaders to be more involved in what’s going on in the department and have a better relationship with the officers,” he said.
Lewis attended Monday’s meeting but did not comment to The Dispatch afterward. He did not return calls this morning for comment by press time.
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