Quincy commission moves forward with investigations – Commissioners hope to hear from witnesses within the police department and city manager’s office.

Quincy commissioners met last week to discuss investigations of the police department and city manager’s office.

During the special meeting held on Monday, Nov. 20, commissioners debated for more than two hours on how they would like to proceed with the investigations.

Mayor Freida Bass-Prieto voted to move forward with a Charter Sec. 2.15 investigation, but expressed during the meeting she was having second thoughts.

“In the past 25 years, I could only find one 2.15 investigation, and I sat through it and I know how it came out,” Bass-Prieto said.

Bass-Prieto argued that the city’s charter is conflicting.

“One part of our charter says we are in no way to interfere with day-to-day,” Bass-Prieto said. “Another part of our charter–the 2.15–gives us the right to conduct an investigation.”

The mayor noted the charter says the commission has the power to subpoena witnesses. However, their subpoena power is not enforceable.

Bass-Prieto said while the new Florida Statute 166.0494 does allow former Police Chief Timothy Ashley to respond to his termination in a public commission meeting, it doesn’t give the commission any power to reinstate him.

Commissioner Beverly Nash called for both investigations during the Nov. 14 meeting, when former police Ashley made his public statement.

Since that meeting Nash compiled evidence to support her reason for wanting the investigations.

“I want to know what truly went on, by intensive fact-finding and dealing with some credible allegations, and I want to make sure they’re valid,” Nash said.

Commissioner Angela Sapp said the last 2.15 investigation was conducted in 2019.

“We can not conduct a 2.15 internally,” Sapp said.

Sapp said the commission does not have the expertise to conduct the investigation.

“People would swear either way we went we’d be biased,” Sapp said.

Sapp suggested an external investigation.

Commissioner Robin Wood said it’s the commission’s duty to investigate any suspected wrongdoing.

“This is not about the chief of police firing,” Wood said. “This is about what I saw last week–a divided police department–that was my concern.”

Wood said another thing that moved her in the Nov. 14 meeting was when Human Resources Director Stacey Hannigon asked for “whistleblower protection.”

Woods then read a letter addressed to Assistant Police Chief De’Anthony Shamar advising Shamar he was not allowed to attend the Nov. 14 public meeting.

Hannigon referenced a document that states it was written “in collaboration with the Human Resources/Risk Management, the City Manager’s office, and the governing body of the City of Quincy.” However, Hannigon said she had nothing to do with that letter.

Wood asked that she be disassociated with the letter, as she also had no knowledge of it.

Interim Police Chief Carlos Hill said he drafted the letter out of concern for the safety of the commission and the citizens.

“When I got the call from the city clerk via Attorney Roberts, to rescind the letter, I personally called Assistant Chief Shamar and told him the letter was being rescinded and he would be more than welcome to come to the meeting and he said he had other previous engagements,” Hill said.

Wood advised Hill, there is no proof if it wasn’t in writing.

Dr. Robin Wood said Monday that Hannigon’s comments should be a reason to investigate Nixon’s office.

“You had a city employee come up here and ask for whistleblower protection,” said Wood.If a city employee made a public comment to this commission that even prompted her to say such a thing, as a commissioner, I think I would like to know what else does she want to say.”

Commissioner Ronte Harris said the commission, specifically, stated that they wanted evidence that supports the chief’s termination.

“I think our parameters should be pertaining directly to those reasons for termination. If the city manager is prepared to provide us evidence, then I believe our investigation should be centered around that evidence,” Harris said.

The commissioners voted 4-1 to investigate the police department, and any evidence that supports or is contrary to the former chief’s termination. Nash was the lone dissenter.

The commission then unanimously voted to investigate the city manager’s office, his interactions with the city staff, and those impacted by his actions and decisions.

They also set the parameters of the investigations.

The commissioners agreed to privately submit a list of people they’d like to call for witness testimony during the investigations to the city attorney.

The commission was set to hear testimonies on Tuesday.

The Gadsden County Times will continue to follow the developments of this story.

E rin Hill - Gadsden County News Service

Quincy commission moves forward with investigations – Commissioners hope to hear from witnesses within the police department and city manager’s office.

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Quincy commission moves forward with investigations – Commissioners hope to hear from witnesses within the police department and city manager’s office.

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Bring your holiday spirit to WinterFest

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