Mayor Robert Smith is asking Columbus police officers for patience as city leaders mull a report they received last week from consultant K.B. Turner.
Turner, a certified law enforcement officer and head of the Criminology and Criminal Justice Department at the University of Memphis, issued a multi-faceted report on the police department to city councilmen Tuesday — one that included scathing criticism of Chief Oscar Lewis’ leadership and a recommendation councilmen oust him.
The council tabled action on Turner’s recommendation so they could have more time to discuss it.
Turner’s report also includes a broad range of recommendation for improving the police department — from implementing community policing and improving the department’s organizational structure, to obtaining technological improvements that will make it easier for officers to file reports without having to leave the streets to return to the police department.
Smith said the report will be on the agenda for further discussion at the council’s Aug. 15 meeting.
In an open letter the mayor released Friday afternoon, he encouraged officers to read the 95-page report, which is also available to the public, and said the council’s tabling action on the report does not mean it’s being ignored.
“Do not interpret this action of tabling the report to mean that nothing will be done,” Smith said. “The report will not be placed on a shelf and forgotten. Instead, we plan to look at it in detail and take specific steps to support the Columbus Police Department.”
In an accompanying press release, Smith praised Turner’s work on the study but said elected officials need more time to review the report before reaching any decisions.
“Dr. Turner did all we asked and more and did incredible work,” Smith said. “But since we literally saw it for the first time ever when he handed it out at the meeting, we need some time to read and reread the analysis and suggestions.”
Smith, in his letter, said city leaders are considering creating an implementation committee, which would be composed of CPD officers, private citizens and others to help implement the study’s recommendations. Forming the committee is one of Turner’s recommendations.
At Smith’s recommendation, the council hired Turner in January for a six-month contract costing $19,000. Smith said Turner may return for another six months to continue work with CPD’s new officers.
“We will consider the best ways possible to help our city and the police department,” Smith said in the release. “We’ve got a new group of recruits coming to the (police department) in the next two weeks and I believe Dr. Turner’s guidance with them would benefit them and us. Then he would work with us to form a committee to help with the other changes.”
Turner also expanded on his recommendation to remove Lewis as police chief in a letter to The Dispatch, which published today on Page 4A.
The letters come on the heels of a Friday story in The Dispatch where CPD Community Policing Officer Rhonda Sanders and two city councilmen — Ward 2’s Joseph Mickens and Ward 6’s Bill Gavin — said they would like to see Lewis remain police chief.
Mickens went so far as to call Turner’s consultation a “witch hunt” against Lewis, adding he doesn’t believe the council gave Turner the authority to recommend the chief’s removal.
Lewis has declined multiple requests for comment on Turner’s report.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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