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Council debates appointing police chief, schedules public hearing after unanimous consent fails
Summary
Councilmembers debated ordinance 2026-1 to appoint a police chief and attempted to suspend rules for immediate adoption; unanimous consent was not achieved, and the council agreed to hold a public hearing and continue discussion. The public safety committee presented recent crime statistics to underscore resident concerns.
The Center Point City Council discussed ordinance 2026-1, an amendment to create and appoint a police chief, but did not adopt it at the meeting after members failed to secure unanimous consent for immediate consideration.
Clerk Miss Van read ordinance 2026-1, and a motion to suspend the rules and adopt the measure at the same meeting was made and seconded. Council members held a roll-call vote on suspending the rules; the city attorney clarified that immediate consideration requires unanimous consent and noted a dissent would prevent adoption. With unanimous suspension not secured, the council continued discussion but did not vote to adopt the ordinance.
Council members described repeated resident complaints about slow emergency response times and argued that appointing a chief now would allow the city to begin planning and recruiting for a future local police force. Several council members urged more deliberation and suggested a work session or broader public input before finalizing the appointment process. The council ultimately agreed to schedule a public hearing so residents can weigh in before any final action; the clerk was instructed to set the date and notify members.
The council also heard public-safety data from the committee chair, Jasmine Delo, who presented Metro Crime Area figures for Jan. 3–9 to illustrate local safety concerns. She listed 41 investigative complaints, 27 patrol requests, 25 assists to citizens, 22 vehicle stops, 15 suspicious-person reports, 11 shots-fired calls and 11 traffic accidents, and urged residents to "say something" if they see suspicious activity.
The meeting record shows the council advanced procedural steps for discussion but stopped short of formal adoption of ordinance 2026-1 pending the public hearing and further council deliberation.
