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Benson mayor orders probe after residents allege police harassment, request body cameras
Summary
At the Aug. 20 meeting the mayor directed the town manager to investigate allegations that two Benson families have been harassed by police and heard requests that officers wear body cameras; the board took no formal action beyond directing an inquiry.
At its Aug. 20 regular meeting, the Benson Board of Commissioners heard two residents allege harassment by town police and requested that officers wear body cameras. Mayor Jerry M. Medlin directed Town Manager Kimberly Pickett to investigate the complaints and report back to the board.
Gloria Farmer of 85 Bear Road told commissioners she and her family “are being targeted and officers need to be wearing body cameras.” Debra Johnson of 500 N. Ryals, Apartment 18B, made a similar complaint, saying she and her family have been harassed by the police department. Public comment opened at 7:09 p.m. and closed at 7:19 p.m.
Mayor Medlin did not announce a timeline for the inquiry at the meeting but explicitly instructed Town Manager Kimberly Pickett to investigate the issues raised and report to the board. Pickett has responsibility for town operations and oversight of department heads, including the police chief. Commissioner Maxine Holley said the resident who raised the concern had come to her upset and that she shares those concerns.
The meeting record does not include a formal staff response from Police Chief Greg Percy at the time of the comments, nor does it show a motion to adopt a policy such as required body-worn cameras. The board took no vote related to police policy at the Aug. 20 meeting.
Next steps: Town Manager Kimberly Pickett was directed to investigate the allegations and report back to the board; the meeting minutes do not specify when that report is due.
