Council Votes Against Policy Prohibiting City Employees from Crime Scenes

Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin's proposed resolution calling for non-law enforcement officials and city employees to be blocked from appearing at crime scenes failed to get support from council. 

Council voted 5-1 against the policy during City Council's work session Tuesday afternoon. 

Benjamin was the only member to vote in favor of the policy. Council member Cameron Runyan was not present at the meeting.

The policy comes after city manager Teresa Wilson visited the scene where state NAACP president Lonnie Randolph Jr. was arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest following a dispute with an employee at a Columbia dry cleaners on July 12. 

Interim Police Chief Ruben Santiago said the department would ask a judge to drop the charges due to Randolph's diabetic condition, which drew criticism from the public.

Wilson said she never saw Randolph that day and she didn't know the arresting officers. She said she had no influence on the police department's handling of the case.

Wilson publicly addressed the incident during the meeting, saying "If this (policy) has anything to do with the incident involving Dr. Randolph, I wouldn’t do anything differently because as has been stated my judgement as a manager tells me how to use my values, how to ensure that there’s proper customer care for everybody concerned. Anybody who knows what was going on that evening knows that’s all that happened."

In July, Benjamin issued a statement saying he was "strongly recommending Dr. Randolph's charges not be dropped before the case reaches the courtroom."

"Dr. Randolph appears to have a medical condition that influences his behavior beyond his control and, if so, he has my deepest concerns and sympathies. But we must let the legal process unfold like it does for any other citizen. It is up to a judge or a jury, with the victims’ input, to decide the end result, not politicians, police chiefs or administrators," Benjamin said in the statement issued in July. 

"Dr. Randolph's arrest demonstrated why we should not have administrators or elected officials showing up at crime scenes unless specifically requested by law enforcement. However well intentioned, it can send the wrong message and can create an appearance of impropriety and it needs to stop now. People must know that the criminal justice system works the same for all of us and does so without political interference and without special treatment for anyone. Justice for all requires special favors for none."

To view the full policy, visit the city's website here. 

Councilwomen Leona Plaugh and Tameika Isaac Devine said they didn't think the policy was necessary because there are laws already prohibiting officials to enter a crime scene. 

"I think this policy is just something extra that’s not needed," Devine said. "I think we’re clear on what the law is and what we all should be doing."

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