A rose to the city of Columbus and its police department for continued efforts to make sure body cameras worn by officers are used in a way that protects both the officers and citizens alike.
Since the police-involved shooting death of Ricky Ball in October, CPD has taken numerous measures to strengthen its body-camera policies — everything from stricter rules for officers, to more training on the use of the cameras, to more oversight.
Another important sign of the CPD’s progress on this front came last week, when a Columbus resident made accusations of police misconduct during an arrest. Contacted by The Dispatch, the police department allowed reporters to watch the arresting officer’s body camera that very day.
The man who made the claims has since indicated he will pay his fines and move on. CPD allowing the media access to body camera footage assures the public that the cameras are not a “weapon” to be used at the CPD’s discretion, but a “tool” to promote the safety of all people — officers and citizens alike.
A thorn to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation for its chronic failure to respond to media requests concerning the Ricky Ball shooting. When it was announced that MBI would be taking over the investigation shortly after the Oct. 16 shooting, MBI officials told city officials the probe would take up to six months to complete. We are now six months into the investigation, and the MBI has been largely silent. Throughout the process, MBI has routinely ignored calls from the media seeking any information at all. While we understand that information that can be released may not be plentiful, ignoring calls is unprofessional and counter-productive. If this is any indication of the MBI’s competence, we are not optimistic about the outcome of its investigation.
A rose to Jack Marshall, Vic Lancaster and Ike Savelle, who are “retiring” as organizers of the annul Lee High School reunion for former athletes, cheerleaders and band members, which has been held each May for the past 20 years. In a letter to those alumni, the men confessed that one of the main reasons for stepping down is, “Heck, we are each just getting older.” We certainly understand that. Hopefully, some younger Lee High alumni will pick up where these men are leaving off. Whether that happens or not, we applaud Marshall, Lancaster and Savelle for being “true to their school.”
A rose to the city of Starkville, which was a hotbed for lovers of arts, music and sports on Saturday. The Cotton District Arts Festival, which has grown steadily over the years, again was a real treat for lovers of local art and crafts. It was the perfect complement to a big day of sports at Mississippi State University.
Super Bulldog weekend hits its peak Saturday with the Bulldog football program’s Spring Game as well as an epic clash between two top 10 baseball teams — MSU and Texas A&M.
Meanwhile, the Lady Bulldogs softball team met No. 11 LSU as its weekend series continued. While Saturday may not rival a fall football weekend in excitement, the combination of the Cotton District Arts Festival and Super Bulldog weekend certainly provided a welcome variety of options.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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