Council members, manager publicly address viral police-bodycam video; manager reports SRO hire, flooding costs

Councilmembers and the city manager used member reports Aug. 4 to address a circulating body‑worn‑camera video of a recent traffic stop that has drawn national attention on social media.

Mayor Whipple (role referenced as mayor) said the posted clip was a “cherry picked” excerpt and that the full bodycam footage and an internal complaint would be reviewed by the police chief; Whipple urged the community to let the internal investigation run its course and said the city received threats directed at officers. Several councilmembers echoed support for the police department and said decisions about potential policy violations are for the police chief to determine through the department’s complaint process.

The city manager described daily threatening messages and social‑media activity directed at officers and city staff since the clip circulated, including threats to share officers’ home addresses and to stage retaliation. The manager said much of the social-media activity appears to come from outside Mason; nonetheless, the threats add stress and have safety implications for officers and their families.

During the same report the city manager updated council on other operational items:

- School resource officer: The city has accepted an offer for an SRO position. The hire is proposed as a school‑hours position funded by the school district and will require an amended memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the district. The manager said the position would be classified as a full‑time seasonal position tied to the school calendar (August–June). The hire would be nonunion as described in the meeting and the city is negotiating with the union about whether the position belongs in the bargaining unit; the new officer indicated willingness to pick up additional shifts if the union and scheduling allow.

- Flooding and storm-drain assessment: The manager said heavy rains last week overwhelmed storm drains and staff will increase targeted storm‑drain and street cleaning. The city received an estimate for a “rain or drain” assessment and the manager said the city’s portion of that assessment would be over $100,000 annually; council members asked whether that assessment is the life of a bond and staff said the figure referenced a 20‑year bond life and that the city could pay the assessment up front if desired.

Council members asked clarifying questions about the SRO position, union coverage and whether the officer would work for the city outside school hours; staff answered that the position’s job description ties it to school work, but the officer said they could pick up additional shifts if union rules and agreements permit. The manager and council stressed the complaint process is being handled by the police chief and that the council’s comments represented elected officials’ views rather than the result of the internal investigation.

No formal action was taken during member reports; councilmembers used the time for public statements and operational updates.