Columbus, Georgia

Minutes for the Meeting of the

Public Safety Advisory Commission

August 8, 2005



Present members of Advisory Commission: Charles Kurtz, Robert Loving, C.A.

Hardmon, Keyla Cabret, Harold Bryant, Cheryl Gallatin, Archie Rainey

(Chairman), Greg Camp



Absent members: Robert Turner, James Wilson, Allen McMullen



Visitors: Chief Boren (CPD), Mr. Brown (Neighborhood Watch)



Recording Secretary: Mrs. Ann Bell, Administrative Specialist III



Location: Community Room of the Public Safety Building



Meeting began at 4:01 p.m.





CHAIRMAN ARCHIE RAINEY CALLS THE MEETING TO ORDER:



Archie Rainey calls the meeting to order. Roll is taken.



REVIEW OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING?S MINUTES:



The commission members took a few moments to review the minutes of the previous

meeting. There was a motion and a second to approve minutes and they were then

approved.



OLD BUSINESS



Chairman Rainey begins by again mentioning that he could not reach the citizen

who sent in the article regarding the Talbot County Sheriff causing an accident

and not receiving a ticket.



Mr. Bryant then passed out his draft letter to the Public Safety Department

Heads regarding the above-mentioned situation, addressing the commissions

concerns regarding same.



Chairman Rainey mentions how the Public Safety Heads could possibly perceive

this letter negatively. There is discussion among the commission members

explaining that is not the intent of the letter. There is more detailed

discussion among the members regarding the ticket not being given and officer?s

discretion being used. More points are made that the law enforcement should be

held at a slightly higher level of standards than the regular citizen should.

Point is made that this letter is not trying to tell Public Safety Heads how to

do their jobs; the commission just wants to show their concern and point out

the community?s perception.



The commission then directs the subject matter to Chief Boren. He explains the

process the officer took against the sheriff, then discussed how record is made

of this, i.e. points against the sheriff, his county etc. and payment for

property and medical damages. Chief Boren went on to tell the commission that

he looked at the number of accidents up to the day in question and stated that

officers did not write citations on 53% of the accidents, regardless of who was

involved. Chief Boren explained how he punishes his officers, which is harsher

than if they were to be ticketed.



There is then a motion to allow Chief Boren to handle this and no letter be

presented. The motion is voted and approved.



NEW BUSINESS



Chief Boren discussed tasers and his decision to use them as non-lethal

weapons. Sixty (60) tasers were ordered using a $60,000 grant and they should

be here August 5, 2005. He went on to mention he had several detailed

discussion with Chief Dekmar of LaGrange, Georgia (LaGrange had a death after

involving a taser), went to seminars, etc. in researching whether CPD should

use tasers



Chief discussed Force Continuum and different levels and what level tasers

would be, along with times and places were taser use is allowed. He also

mentioned taser training will be once a year. The taser company will come to

Columbus in September to train our trainers and officers. There will be two

(2) days of training. Each squad will have two (2) tasers and each specialty

unit will have one (1).



Chief said he had researched areas that had deaths involving tasers and their

training. Many of those instances involved abuse in using the taser. He gave

examples of were he thinks tasers would be helpful and help certain situations

from escalating. He listed areas were tasers will not be allowed to be used.

All precautions are made to make sure these tasers are used correctly.



Mr. Bryant asked if there has been any public response to the CPD starting to

use tasers. Chief explained that there had been none and mentions that the

Sheriff?s Department and Marshal?s Office have had tasers for years and have

had no incidents. The guide lines and disciplinary action in this department

is strong and if there is any abuse of this weapon then that person will no

longer carry the taser and they will be disciplined. Chief Boren even offered

to allow any commission members that wish, to attend taser training.







Ann Bell

Administrative Specialist, III

Recording Secretary