Outside analysis of Columbus Police Department calls for improved staffing, gang strategy
A consulting firm presented an analysis of the Columbus Police Department to the city council Tuesday that detailed what it believes are issues with the department’s staffing, command structure and gang enforcement strategy.
The Columbus City Council voted to have the police department produce an action plan in response to the analysis by the consulting firm Jensen Hughes by March 14.
The privately funded report called for CPD to provide a plan to rebuild the Special Operations Unit and emphasized the need for community-oriented policing and gang enforcement strategy.
Gang enforcement
The Jensen Hughes report critiqued the department for taking a public relations role to policing instead of a community-oriented/problem-solving mindset and highlighted the need for an overall strategy for responding to local gang activity, noting the following:
That 1,800 gang members live in Columbus, according to Georgia Department of Corrections data
That 80% of Columbus homicides in 2021 were linked to gangs
A recent report by the L-E noted that both the county sheriff and coroner said young men involved in gang battles were a driving force behind 70 homicides reported in 2021.
In an interview for that story, Columbus Deputy Police Chief Roderick Graham said the police department doesn’t believe gun violence is concentrated in any one area, or confined to a single age group or to gang operations.
Staffing
Columbus, like many Georgia cities and counties, has struggled to hire and retain law enforcement personnel. According to the report, CPD is understaffed, “impacting its ability to engage in proactive policing and community policing and its ability to investigate crime and effectively address gang activity in Columbus.”
CPD has 444 positions budgeted but only 296 officers on staff, according to data Police Chief Freddie Blackmon shared Tuesday at the council meeting.
Fewer people are applying to the department each year. CPD had 709 applicants in 2019 compared to 233 last year.
In 2021, 74 police officers resigned — the most in a 12-year period dating back to 2009. The department hired 37 officers that year, the fewest in that same period.
Expanding the Special Operations Unit
The Special Operations Unit covers drugs, prostitution, gambling, firearms, illegal alcohol and organized criminal activities, and is currently understaffed, per the report, which suggests CPD expand the unit as most of its personnel currently are assigned to fugitive apprehension duties.
Blackmon was criticized last February by the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police for being more reactive than proactive, and for the department’s staffing level. A draft version of the Jensen Hughes analysis sent to city leaders reported that low morale in the department was partially due to the current leadership and management issues.
Mayor Skip Henderson and City Manager Isaiah Hugley have defended Blackmon against the criticism.
“There are a few areas of this assessment that present some concerns,” Blackmon wrote the mayor on Nov. 23 in response to the draft. “For example, the report relies heavily upon an external survey from the Fraternal Order of Police. This survey has not been verified in its processes or documentation, and its neutrality is certainly in question.”
The last outside operational assessment of Columbus’ police department was conducted in 2013, according to previous L-E reporting.
Council’s response
Council members responded to the report with calls for change and for unity.
“I want this fixed and I want it fixed now, as soon as we can do that,” said District 9 Councilor Judy Thomas.
District 1 Councilor Jerry “Pops” Barnes asked for the finger-pointing to stop.
“I just think it’s time for all of us to come together,” said District 3 Councilor Bruce Huff. “We’re all on different sides and we need to come together.”