VIDEO: The Columbus Police Chief Moves Forward With A New Plan Of Action

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Columbus Police Department’s Overview Committee approves the mayor and council’s plan of action for the police chief to move forward.

However, the details of that plan have not been made public.

On Tuesday, WCBI asked city leaders why and how residents will know if progress is being made.

Most of Tuesday’s special called meeting was held in executive session to discuss what Mayor Robert Smith says is a personnel matter regarding Chief Oscar Lewis.

So far, we know Lewis must meet certain requirements, but it’s unclear if taxpayers will know what those requirements are or when they must be met.

“The mayor, the council, the chief, everybody is in agreement, you know, with the plan and we’re just excited about it. We think it’s a good thing for Columbus, so everybody seems to be on the same page,” says CPD Overview Committee Chairman Dr. Steven L. James.

It’s a page residents haven’t been able to read, yet.

Mayor Robert Smith says the plan of action that Columbus Police Chief Oscar Lewis must meet is a personnel matter.

“I’m not going to say before it’s released to the public. That’s why we have a police overview committee. Each member that serves on the police overview committee represents constituents within a certain ward and those members of that committee can discuss what they need to discuss to a certain extent.”

When city leaders hired consultant Dr. K.B. Turner to examine the Columbus Police Department’s operations, they said the process would be transparent.

There were community meetings and the report was posted online.

However, Smith says it can be tricky discussing personnel issues because those are discussed in executive session.

“As time progresses, there are certain things that we will discuss, but as far as what we discuss today, concerning the personnel issue, we’re going to keep it as a personnel issue and we’re not going to violate the executive privilege.”

Everyone agrees that some of Turner’s recommendations will be implemented.

“The council will get an update on a monthly basis concerning that plan of action and the overview committee will get an update on a monthly basis concerning the plan of action and it’s a five month process,” says Smith.

If that timeline isn’t met, Smith says it can be adjusted.

“It may seem like a lot, but like I said, we’re working to those ends already. I mean, like I said, it’s not like it’s things that we hadn’t planned and discussed prior to Dr. Turner coming in and making this evaluation of this department, but like I said, we’re definitely moving forward,” says Chief Oscar Lewis.

Smith did not give a timeline on when the Lewis’ plan of action must be complete.

The CPD Overview Committee Chairman tells WCBI, meetings for Wards 4 and 5 will be in the near future to discuss Turner’s report.