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Conyers Council moves court services out from police oversight, creates Department of Court Services
Summary
By unanimous votes the council adopted three ordinances (14-23, 14-24 and 14-25) to create a separate Department of Court Services, remove probation and court responsibilities from the police chief, and transfer oath-administration for probation officers to municipal court judges; the changes are to take effect July 1.
The Conyers City Council unanimously adopted three ordinances to reorganize court services and probation administration, moving the function out from under the police department and establishing a separate Department of Court Services.
City staff (Carey) presented the package and asked the council to waive second readings. The first ordinance, No. 14-23, adds Court Services to the city’s list of departments (section 2-3-1). The second, No. 14-24, deletes language that previously assigned administration and operation of probation and court services to the chief of police (section 4-1-1). The third, No. 14-25, removes the police chief’s authority to administer oaths to probation officers and creates a new section (2-5-25) specifying that municipal court judges will administer those oaths. Staff told the council these three ordinances will be effective July 1.
The presenter recognized Judge Nation and members of the court services and probation staff who were present. Councilmembers moved and seconded approval of each ordinance; each motion passed by unanimous voice vote with the second reading waived.
City staff described the package as an organizational change to align court services under a separate administrative department; no budgetary numbers were discussed during the motion. The council did not receive public comment on these items at the meeting.
