Council president comments on arrest of Councilman Smith
Meeting just one day after one of its members was arrested by federal agents for alleged police brutality, the Greencastle City Council turned to its president, Adam Cohen, to address the situation.
During the Council reports and comments portion of Tuesday night's agenda, Council President Cohen issued a statement on the status of Terry ("T.J.") Smith, a Putnam County Sheriff's Department deputy who serves as Fourth Ward city councilman.
Cohen read a statement on behalf of the entire Council, noting that its members had not been able to meet privately to discuss the matter, which took on elephant-in-the-room proportions when City Clerk-Treasurer Lynda Dunbar read the roll call and got no answer after calling T.J. Smith's name.
Smith was arrested Monday morning at his South Locust Street home and faces four counts of deprivation of civil rights relative to four separate incidents in which he allegedly used excessive force in making arrests locally.
"While these charges have nothing to do with his job as a CityCouncil member," Cohen said Tuesday evening of his Council cohort. "It is important to remember that elected officials, government employees and especially those that are granted enforcement powers have an added responsibility to act with the public's best interest in mind."
City officials, Cohen noted, have not received any official reports or official documentation concerning the charges against Smith.
"It would be unfair for the City Council to comment on the allegations at this point," the Council president added. "All we know is what has come from the media.
"Our concern and focus must be to make sure the citizens of Greencastle have the best possible government and that in particular, the citizens of the Fourth Ward know they are represented here tonight and every night."
Cohen stressed that the "decision on who sits in the seat of the Fourth Ward Council chair will have to wait."
"However," Cohen added, "the citizens need to know that all of us here stand ready and willing to serve their needs."
Cohen received support from fellow Council members Mark Hammer, Jinsie Bingham and Phyllis Rokicki in making his statement.
"The city has not communicated with T.J.," Cohen continued. "We are in the process of gathering more information. In the next few weeks, we hope to have more information and a clearer understanding of the appropriate next step."
The only other city official to make comment Tuesday evening was Second Ward Councilman Hammer, who termed Cohen's statement "very well said."
"At this point," added Hammer, who longest-serving member of the City Council, "it's as good a statement as we could possibly have."