Public Listening Sessions Set For July In Johns Creek

JOHNS CREEK, GA — Following Johns Creek Police Chief Chris Byers being placed on administrative leave after allegations were against him, unrelated to his online criticism of the Black Lives Movement, City Manager Ed Densmore is working to connect with the community.

Following a Facebook post criticizing the Black Lives Matter movement earlier this month, Byers had been asked to take some time away from the job on June 11.

Densmore released a statement Thursday saying that for the past several weeks, he's connected with community members, interfaith leaders from various houses of worship in Johns Creek, racially diverse groups and community organization members, as well as city employees.

"All of these meetings, each and every conversation, is a critical part of the city’s learning and healing process," Densmore said. "These discussions have been constructive and I’d like to share some structures we have in place today and what we can do to continue public discussion."

Prior to being named Johns Creek city manager in March, Densmore was appointed police chief with the launch of the Johns Creek Police Department in 2008. Prior to that, he served as Alpharetta's police chief, having been on that city's force since 1996. He began his law enforcement career in 1992 on patrol with the Decatur Georgia Police Department.

The Johns Creek Police Department today adheres to a set of standards which help ensure accountability as it serves all members of the community equitably and without discrimination.

"Since 2010, we’ve been an accredited agency upholding high standards for non-biased policing and are recognized with distinction by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA," Densmore said. "Our agency is also certified by the state of Georgia through the Georgia Chiefs of Police.

"We have never authorized carotid restraint techniques (chokeholds) and have always maintained comprehensive use of force policies and continuum, and requirements for de-escalation, each reinforced through annual training for all officers. We have a duty to intervene when a peer or supervisor is acting inappropriately and all incidents are reported and have a general warning system in place to identify potential issues with officers. Our officers are all trained on cultural awareness which includes implicit bias training and bias-based training. Our officers on average receive more than 100 hours of training annually, typically 80 hours more than the state requires."

In 2016, the city launched a transparency portal tool named PoliceView, which allows the department to engage more meaningfully with residents.

"PoliceView increases transparency, provides context alongside data, and offers an avenue for the public to view calls, citations, incidents, and accidents," Densmore said. "In September 2019, we also implemented body cameras for all of our officers.

"Hiring, recruitment and training standards, as well as annual training, are centered on community-oriented policing concepts which help mitigate the type of incidents which have occurred in the metro-area, Georgia, and across the U.S. These important foundations are critical as we govern and effectively address issues such as equality, justice, racism, and other societal concerns which deeply affect our diverse community."

As promised, Densmore is holding further small group discussions with local leaders and individuals who’ve expressed interest in engaging in a dialogue to navigate the complexity of the issues within the city.

Additionally, he is coordinating public listening sessions during the week of July 5, as permitted according to the state’s COVID-19 guidelines.

"Our objective is to hear from the community in an open and transparent format," Densmore said.

Final dates and times for the public listening sessions will be announced via the city website and social media channels.

"The city must look at the way we service, protect, and govern with mindfulness and equity, as well as acknowledgment and accountability," Densmore said. "We can and will continue to listen, learn, and adjust to serve the community better and help foster healing. Learning and listening and understanding is a process. I hope you will join me in this process, as we cooperatively work to promote healing and help create a better and more inclusive community."

Read more:

• New Allegations Land Johns Creek Police Chief On Leave
• Black Lives Matter Post Earns Police Chief Time Off
• Black Lives Matter, Pastors Criticized By Johns Creek Police Head
• Johns Creek Chief Wants His Officers To 'Set The Standard'