Chatham District Attorney forms a new citizens review board for police complaints

The Chatham County District Attorney’s office is forming a civilian review board where county residents can evaluate complaints about the multiple law enforcement agencies in Georgia’s fifth-largest county.

The announcement follows a decision by Savannah Police Department Chief Lenny Gunther that he would be expanding his department’s Use of Force Review Committee to include three civilians — one faith leader and two representatives appointed by City Council.

Both developments follow a string of incidents by Savannah police during arrests — one in June 2024 and one in May 2024  — where arresting officers were accused of using excessive force, and come at a time when Savannah police leaders are struggling to build trust in diverse communities.

Chatham District Attorney Shalena Jones said her office’s review board was “independent” and designed for citizens to submit complaints to a body “that’s not selected or paid by or chosen by the city or the mayor.” As well, citizens would also be able to submit commendations of officers if they had a good experience. Chatham has five municipal police forces, the county police and school police and the review board would encompass all of these.

While the body would be housed under the DA’s office, Jones said she would have no voting power on the board.

“That’s what I’m offering to the citizens. Not for any political purpose, not to be competitive with the mayor, or anything that he proposes,” Jones added. “But because I’m a countywide officer, I recognize that there are citizens in Chatham County who do not live in the city of Savannah, and they should have an equal voice.”

Jones announced the new police review board in a press conference to explain why she would not pursue charges against the SPD officers whose conduct during an arrest last year has become a rallying cry for a group of majority Black Savannahians for discipline and reform within the city force.

The conduct of the officers during the June 2024 arrest of Marquel Robinson came under the spotlight in February when body camera footage of the incident started circulating on social media.

The aggressive arrest sparked comparisons by some Savannah community activists to the police abuse of George Floyd. However, Jones said that was a faulty comparison. She said she believed that the officers exerted a use of force that was both necessary and warranted given the context of the situation and level of danger.

Yet Jones did criticize the Savannah police leadership, Mayor Van Johnson and City Manager Jay Melder, accusing them of obstructing her office’s work by dragging their feet on the public records request for the body camera footage.

She said it took three weeks for her to receive the footage — a time in which community outrage about the incident grew.

The Current reviewed four new pieces of body worn camera (BWC) footage from four officers — Corporal Alan Contreras, Corporal Kyler Giem, Officer Austin Hensley and Officer Ethan Vollrath. Each video is available in full here and has been edited for language.

Jones’ decision that police acted in compliance with the law was based on five key points, she said: Police arrived to arrest Robinson with a valid warrant and Robinson refused to comply with valid commands. He then fled the scene, putting the public and police in danger by presenting the possibility of having a weapon. Robinson did not offer verbal or physical compliance with lawful police orders, and while the officers used force to subdue him, they immediately stopped using aggression after Robinson was detained.

Jones said a new civilian review board would allow an outlet for allegations and frustration among residents, and a chance for educating the county’s residents about lawful police work.

One of the biggest differences between the DA’s review board and SPD’s body is that citizens serving on her board would be trained by the National Organization for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) about law enforcement  policies, use of force and appropriate police conduct. That way members of the review board will “understand what they’re looking for,” she said.

Anyone interested in serving on the board will be able to apply through either their county commissioners or city councilperson, which Jones hopes to have up and running by the beginning of September.