Mobile City Council discusses Police Chief Paul Prine’s future and gun violence
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — The Mobile City Council met for a pre-council meeting this morning ahead of an expected vote on whether Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine would be terminated.
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During the meeting, council members and Mayor Sandy Stimpson discussed the potential termination of Chief Prine and brought up two independent investigations into a city anti-violence program.
Operation Echo Stop
Mayor Sandy Stimpson informed the council of two independent investigations into a $92,000 contract with 321z Insights LLC.
321z Insights, an LLC based in Palm Bay, Florida, was hired to conduct a peer “third party” review of Operation Echo Stop, a program to combat gun violence in the city.
Investigations into 321z Insights follow Prine’s concerns about the company.
The city contracted two entities to investigate dealings with 321z Insights. The Office of Professional Responsibility and Burr & Forman LLP conducted the separate investigations.
“Investigators were not talking to each other,” City Attorney Ricardo Woods said. “I can tell you the investigations were not complete until yesterday.”
District 2 Councilman William Carroll pointed out that Woods works at Burr & Foreman.
“The scope has been dictated by the administration,” Carroll said.
Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson announced all investigative material to the Alabama Attorney General, Steve Marshall’s, office.
“I’m aware that many are not satisfied with who conducted these investigations,” said Mayor Stimpson. He added that all investigative tools and reports would be provided to the Attorney General’s Office.
Termination of Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine
However, the main thing on the docket seemed to be the possibility of terminating Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine, who was placed on administrative leave three weeks ago.
Prine’s leave came after concerns over the police department’s policing techniques, which were investigated in the Kenyen Brown report released to the public last week.
Potential termination is the second item on the agenda following investigations into allegations Prine made against the city. He has asserted that the city made improper attempts to control or run the police department and did not address his grievances.
“In my mindset, can the chief come back, no,” City Council President C.J. Small said. “If he was my employee, he’d been gone.”
Both items would need five votes to pass per the Zoghby Act, which is being used as a resolution to terminate Prine.
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