Columbus Police Chief Responds to Morale Concerns Within Department
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Claims of low morale and leadership tension inside the Columbus Police Department have sparked public discussion.
Chief Joseph Daughtry said the situation isn’t what it seems, and he’s defending both his leadership and his officers.
“Going to the media is not going to fix it because the media doesn’t run the police department. I’m the chief of police. They have an issue. They know they can get their supervisor and come in here, and we can talk about how my command staff is very hands-on. We attend roll call training. We go out on the scene. We talk to these officers. We’ve talked to them about good times. We’ve talked to them when they’re going through bad times. So I feel like we have a good connection. If I missed something. One of my assistant chiefs or a supervisor usually can catch you. And we usually bounce off each other,” said Daughtry.
He said officer wellness remains a top priority, with chaplain support and new programs designed to help officers cope with the emotional challenges of the job.
The chief adds that his open-door policy gives every officer a chance to bring forward concerns and be heard.
We will have more on this story tonight a nine and ten.
