What happened at the first Columbus mayoral debate? What you need to know
Incumbent Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson and challenger John Anker faced off in the first mayoral debate of the 2022 election season Tuesday night.
The one-hour debate was hosted by the Muscogee County Republican Party and WTVM. Crime and economic development were the evening’s major topics.
Roughly 100 Columbus residents attended the event at the Doubletree Hotel with some attendees being forced to stand at the back of the room. Others sat in the lobby to watch the debate on television.
Henderson promoted his political experience and said the city needed someone like him to lead it through the issues it faces. Anker, a small business owner, said his entrepreneurial experience will help him oversee the city efficiently.
Here were the takeaways from the debate:
Crime and law enforcement
Crime and the city’s police officer shortages were the most discussed issues during Tuesday night’s debate.
The election comes on the heels of a violent 2021 and as a rift develops between Police Chief Freddie Blackmon and members of the local Fraternal Order of Police.
The city reported a record-breaking 70 homicides last year, a 52% percent increase from 2020. However, Blackmon previously told the Ledger-Enquirer that while violent crimes have increased, others have declined.
Data provided by the city shows the police department has 130 vacancies. In 2021, 74 police officers resigned — the most in a 12-year period dating back to 2009. The department hired 37 officers in 2021, the fewest in that time period.
Members of the local Fraternal Order of Police chapter attended a council meeting in February to voice their frustrations with Blackmon. A survey conducted by the organization’s leadership found only 5% of its members had confidence in Blackmon to lead the department.
Anker proposed a “public-private partnership” that would see an outside firm assess issues with the city’s police department. The candidate said private donations would fund the plan and that he’s already gotten commitments from businesses.
Anker did not say how much this review would cost or which businesses offered their support. Many officers, Anker said, were leaving Columbus for other law enforcement departments: Retention needs to be a key focus.
Anker also said the city should call on state officials like Gov. Brian Kemp or the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to deal with gangs and violent crime in the short term.
“You do a lot of listening,” Anker said of the proposed review. “Officers love what they do. They need to be appreciated and need to be respected.”
Henderson highlighted the Muscogee County Sheriff Department’s Gang Taskforce and the Columbus Police Department Gang Intelligence Unit that work to put gang members in prison for long periods of time.
“We are working to try and identify them and make sure that when we catch them doing some illegal, we can make a case against them that is not just going to get them off the street for just a day or two,” he said.
The mayor said law enforcement needs to get alleged criminals off the street quickly in the short term. In the long term, the city will have to address the root causes of crime and work to steer young people away from criminal activity.
Of the 63 murders counted by Columbus police in 2021, Henderson said 21 were cases of domestic violence, 8 or 9 were drug-related and 10 were gang-related. The perpetrator and the victim often know each other, he said.
“The only way to be successful long term is if we get to the root of the issue and that is trying to put some structure around the family that no longer exists. We’ve got to find some way to build a fence around these young people so they don’t find criminal activity.”
Henderson attributed morale issues within the department to the increase in violent crime and “a lack of respect to our officers.” The mayor mentioned former DA Mark Jones’ statements about “going after police officers.”
Henderson also highlighted the city’s efforts to increase pay for law enforcement. The most recent effort included $10 million in bonuses for officers and other public safety employees.
Economic development
Henderson highlighted the growth of Columbus’ economy during his term, aside from unemployment brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. He mentioned the construction of multiple hotels downtown, a new mixed office and residential development along the river and the Mercer School of Medicine campus as big achievements.
Henderson also touted workforce development and job training efforts aimed at “disengaged youths” and incarcerated persons to build skills.
“I think our economy in Columbus is as good as I remember it being,” he said.
Anker, the owner of packing and manufacturing company Ankerpak, said youth workforce development efforts are key. Anker also stressed the importance of rail and mass transit.
Columbus native Joel Wooten Jr. serves as Chairman of the Georgia Ports Authority, and Anker said the city should leverage that relationship.
Anker proposed bringing a land port to the city.
“(It) would possibly be the biggest economic development that we have seen in this town since Kia,” he said.
This story was originally published March 16, 2022 at 1:04 PM.