Macon City Council Pushes for Additional Citizen Input in Police Internal Affairs

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Macon City Council’s Public Safety Committee is moving forward with an ordinance that would change the police department’s disciplinary procedures.

The committee passed an ordinance that would require additional accountability and input in regards to Macon Police Department’s disciplinary board. Macon City councilman Virgil Watkins is seeking to include two voting and participating citizens in the Internal Affairs processes; involve the mayor and the chief administrative officer in the complaints and require a quicker rotation of the officers on the board.

The urge for change comes shortly after Sammie Davis, Jr. was shot and killed by Macon Police officer Clayton Sutton outside Kroger. Within recent months, several other officers have been arrested for various incidents. Macon City Councilman Henry Gibson cited several “ongoing inconsistencies” with officers and citizens complaints. Sutton, the officer involved in the Kroger incident, was disciplined more than a dozen times before the shooting. Gibson alleges that Sutton was previously arrested. 41 NBC could not confirm the allegations.

“I learned from a member of the Macon Police Department that the same officer was arrested in Warner Robins on a protective order involving a domestic disturbance which escalated into Eastman, Georgia with the in-laws and I contacted the Eastman chief of police who confirmed that,” Gibson said.

The proposed ordinance is not a political move, Gibson said. The police department veteran said it is unlikely that he will run for a position in the consolidated government. He just wants to create some change in the community.

The ordinance will now have to go before the entire city council for a vote.