DECATUR – Police Chief Todd Pinion released a statement on Facebook after a third-party review of the Decatur Police Department conducted by Green Research and Technology (GRT) was released to the public on Thursday.
The report highlighted Pinion’s “reluctance to engage publicly” as having adverse effects on the community and the police department.
The nearly 850-word statement from Pinion addressed the report, emphasizing the department’s commitment to improvement while defending its record.
“I am glad to have this opportunity here today to share my thoughts on the results of the report submitted by Green Research and Technology,” wrote Pinion. “As with any outside or independent review of an organization, you will always find areas to improve, and this report is no different.”
Chief Pinion acknowledged the department’s imperfections, writing, “While we strive for excellence, the fact of the matter is, we are human. Mistakes have been made, and we will make mistakes in the future. We try our best every day to limit and minimize those mistakes through training, adherence to policies, and effective supervision.”
He highlighted the DPD’s extensive workload, revealing that over the past two years, the department responded to 102,940 calls for service, with complaints arising from only 0.18% of those calls. “This is short of perfect, but I am no less proud of the statistic and the performance of our officers.”
Pinion also addressed criticisms regarding communication. “That is on me. I know where I have failed and can improve,” he admitted while pledging to prioritize better communication with residents and department staff.
Read Chief Todd Pinion’s full statement here.
This past summer the Decatur City Council authorized a third-party review of the police department following the fatal shooting of Steve Perkins by former police officer Mac Marquette in September of 2023.
GRT’s 43-page analysis of the department’s operations, policies, and practices identified numerous issues and challenges within the department.
The report states the goal of the assessment is to provide a transparent view of the Decatur Police Department and recommendations on improving its practices, culture, and relationship with the community.
To do this, GRT conducted over 50 interviews with members of the Decatur community, interviewed over 50 DPD personnel and reviewed over 300 hours of body-worn camera footage.
The report notes this does not include footage from the officer-involved shooting from September of 2023 or any other matters currently in litigation.
The report identified community trust issues, policy gaps, operational challenges and data management deficiencies.
Notably, the report highlighted communication failures, especially stemming from Chief Pinion’s hesitance to interact openly, that have negatively impacted both the community and the department.
“The commendable instances of compassionate and empathetic behavior by DPD officers are sometimes overshadowed by occurrences of unprofessionalism or lack of empathy. Communication failures, particularly those linked to Chief Pinion’s reluctance to engage publicly, have adversely affected both the community and the department,” stated the report.
The report concludes that there are “significant areas that require attention” within the Decatur Police Department. However, the report aims to provide a foundation for reforms:
“By implementing the outlined recommendations, the department has the opportunity to set a new standard for transparency, fairness, and trust.”
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