Council Member Calls For More Police at Council Meetings; Probe Into Leaked Information

In a letter to , council member Lynn Ricci said she wants more police officers at City Council meetings. 

Recently, two officers have been in attendance. However, in the letter dated Friday, Feb. 25, Ricci states "I want to see 5 police officers at our meeting to remove any person, councilmember or audience member alike" that gets "physical, loud and menacing."

Her remarks come after the mayor wrote a letter of reprimand to for what she called his "bullying" and "disorderly" behavior at the council meeting on Monday, Feb. 14.

Ricci writes "I am now as of this last meeting uncomfortable for safety of all in council chambers." 

She goes on to say, "When a council member gets physical, loud, and menacing, it is frankly not that individual councilmember that I fear as much as the unknown audience member who, however irrational it may be, is incited to act."

Ricci said Mayor Welsch's letter of reprimand to council member Price does not go far enough. She said she wants a proclamation of zero tolerance.

"I go on the record and put council on notice of my concern," Ricci writes.

Ricci also expressed her concern that recent confidential council information had made its way to the public domain.

"Who on council disclosed this confidential information," she asked.  She said the council has experienced numerous breaches of confidentiality since last year's election.

"I think council needs to formally make an independent investigation," she writes.

 Ricci said if council addresses "any bad behavior swiftly, summarily and rigorously, then maybe the nonsense will end so we can get down to essential business without flighty distraction."

University City Patch has reached out to council member Ricci and Mayor Welsch for comment and will update if any is given.