BY SARAH BARBAN, Eastern Shore Post —
A member of the Onancock Town Council raised concerns about town police department transparency during a meeting on Monday, Oct. 26.
Councilwoman Ann Quigley questioned the transparency of the monthly police report compiled by Police Chief Eric Williams.
“I think we need to provide enough information to residents where they are aware about what is going on in the town.” Quigley said.
She said it is important for the town to provide “whatever distinctions we can make that are going to best inform people about where they might need to have concerns or about what’s happening.”
She continued, “I think it’s impossible to know if you don’t know whether something was just a call or (led) to enforcement action.”
Quigley suggested that more explanatory comment be given on the police report. Mayor Fletcher Fosque said he would speak to Williams about how the report could be tweaked.
Later in the meeting when it was time to present staff reports Williams was not present to speak to his report.
Reached after the meeting, Town Manager Wesley Wootten said in an email that the police chief attends town council meetings when requested by the town council.
“His attendance hasn’t been a standing monthly requirement,” Wootten said.
“The monthly public safety report provides council and the public with a summary of departmental activity rather than a narrative of each incident,” Wootten said.
In Chincoteague and Exmore, the municipal police chief attends each meeting — and even sits at the dais with members of the council and other town leaders.
In an email after the meeting, Williams affirmed that the Onanocck Town Council decided several years ago that the police chief would attend town meetings only when requested.
Explaining his department’s statistics, Williams said, “As a smaller community, our department often handles calls for service differently than larger agencies. Rather than closing cases at the initial stage whenever possible, we frequently keep cases active and continue working them in an effort to resolve.”
