Video: Columbus Police Hold Public Meeting To Address Concerns

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Columbus, Miss. (WCBI) — After at least four shootings just this week in Columbus, the Columbus police department held a public meeting to address any concerns from residents and also listened to resident’s suggestions on how to better police the city.

The meeting was held at Columbus High School, and was similar to the one held earlier this week at Genesis Church daycare.

Interim Police Chief Fred Shelton, Mayor Robert Smith, District Attorney Scott Colom, and members of the city council were all in attendance, hopeful to answer to the concerns of the people they serve.

“It’s a lot of concern about what’s been going on, this week especially…”, said resident Rhonda Hicks, “…we got to communicate with each other and become a community…”

Shelton said the most common questions asked by residents in these meeting are: “What are we [the police department] doing, what is our plan of action, how are we going to address these numbers of shootings, what can [the residents] do, what do they need to do…”

More than 70 people visited the Columbus High School auditorium, but residents said that number isn’t enough.

“…I still think that we should have had more people here tonight…”, said Hicks, “….more cooperation from the community is what’s needed and if we all…work together, it’ll be a solved problem.”

Shelton also said his challenge now is to get the information that was talked about in tonight’s meeting to those who were unable to make it.

Shelton encouraged the audience to take what they spoke about Thursday night and share it with neighbors and other community members.

“Some people in the meeting, they were fearful that id they told something, that there may be some retaliation or retribution…”, said Shelton, “…one of the things is to alleviate some of the fears and let them know that if they do the right thing, that we’re standing behind them, we’re with them, we’re going to protect them, and we’re going to get the person that did the crime.”

Shelton said a warrant is being issued for a person police believe was involved in the drive-by shooting on Maple Street and on Woolbright Street Monday.

Mayor Robert Smith is also going to ask the Columbus city council to approve the hiring of ten additional officers to the department, which would increase the city’s total to 77.

The police department will host another public meeting Thursday, January 21st at 7 P.M. at the Townsend Community Center.