Macon Committee OK's Police Dept. Changes | News

When a case needs a closer eye to make sure protocol is followed, the Macon Police Department has an internal investigations division dedicated to policing itself.

By a 4 to 1 vote Monday, a Macon council committee supported a proposal to give the city more oversight of that department.

Under the resolution, the city's chief administrative officer would help supervise and review investigations, and citizens' complaints against officers would also land on the CAO's desk, instead of solely with the police chief.

Councilman Henry Gibson, who drew up the changes, says it stems from public concern about officers with several complaints filed against them and little disciplinary action taken.

He says, "It's been ongoing complaints, outcry from the community about police misconduct, the internal affairs not investigating cases. People have distrust and they don't even want to waste their time to come down to internal affairs to file a complaint, because most of the time they never hear anything from it."

Gibson's resolution also says if the CAO or police chief utilize a review board to advise them in a case, that group must have two Macon residents, not affiliated with the police department, and two officers from another law enforcement agency, who can serve as voting members.

The head of internal investigations will rotate between captains in the department every 6 months.

One member of the council public safety committee, Nancy White, voted against the resolution.

She says she likes the idea, but wants to hear Chief Mike Burns' reaction before going forward.

No one from the police department attended the committee meeting.

13WMAZ reached out to the police department, but they refused to comment.

The proposal will go before the full city council for a vote next week.