August 24, 2010

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

As you most probably are aware, City Council is considering an arrangement with Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott to oversee the management of the Columbia Police Department (CPD). I welcome your thoughts and input and am hosting an informal discussion tomorrow at the Capital Senior Center at 5:30 PM. I hope you will make plans to join me!

Sheriff Lott has not sought this option with Council, but has indicated that, if asked, he would step forward to lead for the remainder of his current term, which ends in 2012. At this moment, when we have not yet filled the top leadership position with the CPD, such an arrangement may well provide us with an unprecedented opportunity to explore both closer coordination and more streamlined services between the city and the county. I have attached below Sheriff Lott's recent letter published yesterday in The State newspaper.

Public safety issues remain at the top of the list of my priorities. As City Council deliberates our various options for leadership of the CPD, we must hear from our residents. Strong cooperation between the CPD and the Sheriff's Department has been identified as a critical issue by the members of Mayor Steve Benjamin's Transition Team. Here is a link to the Transition Committee's "One Columbia" report.

I hope to see you Wednesday at the Capital Senior Center.

Sincerely,
Belinda Gergel
Columbia City Council, District 3 Representative