Meridian scrutinizes former Yazoo City police chief ahead of nomination
Published 4:15 pm Friday, October 2, 2020
- Meridian City Hall
With a vote expected Tuesday on a new Meridian police chief, city leaders continue to vet a candidate for the position.
Chief Administrative Officer Eddie Kelly said the city plans to recommend former Yazoo City Police Chief Ronald Sampson for the post.
Since former police Chief Benny Dubose resigned in January, the department has been without a permanent leader. Interim Chief Lewis Robbins resigned in April and interim Chief Charles Coleman resigned in July. Lt. Patrick Gale has been serving as acting chief.
Sampson served as police chief in Yazoo City until May, when the board of aldermen voted 3-2 not to reappoint him, according to the city’s meeting minutes. Information on why the city decided not to reappoint Sampson was not available Friday.
Kelly said he’s taking a closer look at the recommendation to appoint Sampson after issues in Sampson’s past were brought to his attention. Kelly said the city council is aware of those issues, which he would not elaborate on.
“We are still in the process of evaluating whether or not if we want to move forward because we are trying to gauge support of the council,” Kelly said. “By the end of the day Monday, I will know if I’ve got the support to move this guy forward.”
Council president Kim Houston said that based on feedback she’s gotten from the community, Sampson may have a hard time being confirmed by the council.
“If the chief does not have the support of the community, then more than likely, a lot of focus will be put on trying to prove himself, which in my opinion will cause him more harm than good,” she said.
If Sampson is not confirmed, the city will have to find another candidate, she said.
Mayor Percy Bland said that when the city was looking for a police chief, it wanted someone who could address citizen’s concerns such as safety and crime.
Bland said Sampson’s experience outweighs any issues he’s had in the past.
“We are hiring someone to be the chief of our city to deal with our safety concerns, to deal with crime and to deal with security concerns,” Bland said.
