Public criticism and council discussion center on police chief search after Steve Perkins case; HR outreach and candidate interviews debated

Public commenters at the Decatur City Council meeting urged immediate changes to policing, criticized the city's human resources handling of the police chief recruitment and demanded accountability in the wake of the death of Steve Perkins. Councilmembers discussed candidate outreach and set interview date holds while several residents said HR conducted private pre-interviews that raised transparency concerns.

Why it matters: Multiple public speakers described a pattern of mistreatment and racialized policing in Decatur, invoked names of people harmed, and called for structural changes rather than delays. They tied the police chief recruitment to broader accountability and community trust.

Public statements: Several residents used the public-comment period to raise sustained criticism. One resident said the city still tolerates “the tactics of the good old boy system” and criticized council decisions as allowing “oppression” that affects Black residents. Another said the city’s HR office had “too many red flags,” referenced the death of Steve Perkins and demanded “Justice for Steve Perkins.” A third speaker argued the community has done rapid vetting on candidates and urged the council to do the same to avoid repeating past harm. A speaker asked why HR staff had a roughly 20-minute phone conversation with an applicant, and whether that pre-contact was appropriate.

HR and council responses: Michelle Phalen, human resources director, said she had contacted one candidate after a councilmember indicated the candidate might withdraw and that the call was intended to check the candidate’s status and interest. Phalen said the candidate “would like to continue his interest” after the follow-up and described the exchange as a general conversation about interest and the position. She told the council she had a “20 plus minute meeting or minute chat with HR yesterday” with the candidate to discuss the opportunity, challenges and expectations for the role.

Council discussion and next steps: Council members agreed on the need for a chief who can communicate with the community, rebuild trust and prioritize leadership and accountability. Councilmember McMaster (identified in the meeting as Mr. McMaster) said a new chief must “form relationships and understand where everybody's coming from” and that early work should include outreach to those who feel harmed. Councilmember Jacob (identified by first name in the meeting) and others said they want a chief who will “dig in,” lead and do community policing.

Interview scheduling and candidates: Human resources said holds are placed for interview dates on April 14–16 and that the council will be informed about which dates will be used. The meeting named two candidates for interviews: Tory Mack and Theo Smith; a third (Mister Izzo) had withdrawn. Phalen said she had reached out to “Mister Smith” who told HR after family discussion that he would remain under consideration.

Community demands and accountability: Public commenters repeatedly asked the council to move beyond procedural delays and to take measures that improve transparency and accountability in hiring and police oversight. Several speakers said they wanted a vetting process that would avoid repeating events that led to Steve Perkins’ death and called for timely, community-informed decisions.

Ending: Councilmembers asked staff to proceed with scheduling interviews and emphasized the need for a chief who can lead, rebuild trust and work with all parts of the community.