Multiple public commenters press Decatur leaders on police practices, lawsuit and transparency

Several speakers used the public comment period to press city leaders for transparency and accountability in the Decatur Police Department, to ask about personnel pay after a resignation and to highlight allegations in a recent wrongful‑death lawsuit.

Byron Echols began public comment emphasizing public safety and warning the council that he had been receiving warnings he characterized as prophetic; he described his concerns about safety and events he believes may come to the city. Other speakers later urged culturally responsive training for the police, pointing to recent training with the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind and urging similar engagement with community leaders and subject‑matter experts.

One commenter asked for clarity about the pay status of Captain Todd Pinion after a recent change in rank; the mayor and city attorney discussed payroll practice and a city official stated, “He is being paid less than he was,” in response to a question asking whether his pay remained the same. The transcript records the exchange but does not include a personnel report or formal HR document in the excerpt.

A public commenter cited a recently amended federal wrongful‑death complaint against the city that focuses on a department “stats” system and alleged the system incentivized officers to escalate encounters. The commenter said the lawsuit alleges officers “actively chose to engage in the incident involving Steve Perkins to increase their stats” and said attorneys for the Perkins estate had argued the system encouraged aggressive policing. As the city attorney noted, the matter is in litigation; he told commenters the city would let its attorney respond to specific litigation questions.

Speakers called for independent reviews of city departments and urged the council to make personnel files or clarifications available where appropriate. Several commenters identified themselves as community members, advocates and relatives of those seeking answers in the ongoing legal matter surrounding Steve Perkins. The transcript records multiple mentions of the Perkins family, protests and demands for justice; speakers asked for an honest, transparent police chief and for independent investigations where accusations of wrongdoing have been made.

Council and staff acknowledged receipt of comments and, in at least one instance, told speakers that litigation limited what city staff could say about pending lawsuits. There were no formal council actions recorded in the public comment period in the provided transcript.