Columbus City Leaders Terminate Police Officer, Two Others Resign

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- The Columbus Police Department’s staff is down three officers after Tuesday night’s city council meeting.

The board accepted letters of resignation from officers Bradley Peden and Eli E. Shumaker.

In a lengthy executive session, city leaders took up a total of five personnel matters, with four of them being with the CPD and the other one with Parks and Rec.

During the closed session, the board voted to fire a CPD officer for conduct unbecoming an officer.

You may remember, it was on Friday when we first reported that a Columbus police officer has been suspended without pay and is being investigated by the West Point Police Department.

At this time, that officer’s name still hasn’t been released, and Columbus Mayor Robert Smith would not confirm whether the officer that’s been terminated is the same officer who’s involved in the incident.

However, Smith did say he stands behind the chief’s decision on the issue.

“Chief always states that after the mayor and the council voted him in as the chief of police for the city of Columbus, he stated repeatedly that he wanted the department to be efficient, effective, and proactive, and I think the Chief doing a good job, and me and the board supports him,” said Mayor Smith.

West Point Police Chief Avery Cook said the CPD officer who’s being investigated has not been charged with a crime.

The investigation is still on-going.