Columbus Police Chief’s actions during shooting investigation “introduced risk to the chief”, report says
CNAW2NEWS.com continues to examine the report from Jensen Hughes, who completed an independent assessment, of Columbus Police Department, after being asked to do one by multiple private businesses and their owners.
In one section of the report it states that their interviewees noted “the chief [Police Chief Freddie Blackmon] is seemingly involved in everything, much of which department personnel believe could be adequately handled by the respective supervisor.”
Jensen Hughes encouraged Chief Blackmon to embrace the leadership value of extending trust and autonomy, but realizing the value of maintaining a safe distance and allowing his commanders to provide a layer of protection of him.
The protection layer went out the window when Chief Blackmon was observed going door to door seeking video footage of an officer-involved shooting even before the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrived at the scene.
“Such actions, while undermining the trust in his commanders, introduce risk to the chief, in that he created a situation where he has assumed complete responsibility for the incident,” the report suggested. “Observers noted that was not the proper role of the chief.”
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