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Residents and an advocate urge Brookhaven board to press for police accountability
Summary
At a Brookhaven City Board of Aldermen meeting, advocate Emily Donascolas urged the board to seek accountability after what she and others described as problems with a grand-jury process and asked for Police Chief Kenny Collins's resignation; board staff recommended a separate meeting with the chief and mayor to address concerns.
At a public-comment segment of the Brookhaven City Board of Aldermen meeting, national advocate Emily Donascolas told the board she sees “a declaration of emergency in the making” and asked directly for the resignation of Police Chief Kenny Collins, saying the city faces “a systemic breakdown” in its justice processes.
Donascolas (S4) said the grand-jury process in a recent case was one-sided and urged the board to intervene where officials are not “upholding their duties.” A family member who spoke afterward (S5) said evidence had been withheld at the grand-jury hearing and that prosecutors heard only one version of events. “At the grand jury hearing, one-sided, the evidence was hidden. They only heard Kelvin White’s story,” the commenter said.
Board staff (S3) cautioned speakers against naming individuals during public comment and told petitioners the board cannot pursue personnel actions from the floor. Staff suggested scheduling a separate meeting with the chief, the mayor and board members to review the family’s concerns and any investigative materials. “That’s not proper for the board. Please refrain from those,” the staff member said.
The board did not take a formal personnel action during the meeting. The chair and staff said they would facilitate a follow-up meeting for the parties to present details and that the board will consider procedural next steps outside public comment.
The matter remained unresolved at the end of the public-comment period; the transcript records the board advising petitioners to pursue a scheduled, private meeting with the chief and mayor for further discussion.
