Decatur residents press council for mental‑health crisis response and police accountability after recent deaths

Public commenters at Decatur City Council’s work session on Monday pressed the council and mayor to overhaul the city’s response to mental‑health crises and to hold the police department accountable after recent deaths involving local officers. Speakers called for a licensed, non‑police crisis response team, faster personnel changes in police leadership and greater transparency about ongoing investigations.

The plea came during the meeting’s public‑comment period, where residents used allotted time to recount details from body‑camera footage, cite repeated failures to follow department policy and demand concrete reforms. Amanda Anthony, who identified herself as a resident, urged a new city‑run mental‑health response unit and said it should be staffed by licensed clinicians and emergency medical workers traveling in non‑law‑enforcement vehicles. "Hire employees with ... work experience as social workers, EMTs, paramedics ... to ensure that there's 24/7, 365 coverage," Anthony said.

Why this matters: commenters tied the need for a…