PB City Council Opposes Cold Case Unit Resolution
By: Brittney Johnson, KARK 4 News
Updated: April 16, 2012
A push to heat up cold cases in Pine Bluff and bring justice for families goes no where Tuesday night at the city council meeting.
Alderman Mays introduced a resolution instructing the department to assign two detectives to cold cases and provide regular progress reports.
"We don't have them only on cold cases we assign them to cold cases. We've been doing it for the past year. We have three officers, along with regular investigators and we also make sure we assign them cold cases, " Chief Brenda Davis-Jones responded.
Just weeks ago the town was captivated by the possibility of resolution in the Cleashindra Hall case. Pine Bluff police combed the property of a doctor, saying they had new information on Hall's disappearance.
Coming up empty there, may have piqued interest in other cases, but after much debate, the council rejected the resolution.
"We don't want to get in the position where we start telling them which cases they are to work on and which ones first," said Councilman George Stepp.
Council members decided it could be dangerous to share details from the investigations before the evidence is confirmed and the cases are solved.
"We don't want them to have to give us updates on info that shouldn't be provided at the time. We don't know who will be asking us questions, and what to say and what not to say," said Stepp.
Alderman Mays introduced a resolution instructing the department to assign two detectives to cold cases and provide regular progress reports.
"We don't have them only on cold cases we assign them to cold cases. We've been doing it for the past year. We have three officers, along with regular investigators and we also make sure we assign them cold cases, " Chief Brenda Davis-Jones responded.
Just weeks ago the town was captivated by the possibility of resolution in the Cleashindra Hall case. Pine Bluff police combed the property of a doctor, saying they had new information on Hall's disappearance.
Coming up empty there, may have piqued interest in other cases, but after much debate, the council rejected the resolution.
"We don't want to get in the position where we start telling them which cases they are to work on and which ones first," said Councilman George Stepp.
Council members decided it could be dangerous to share details from the investigations before the evidence is confirmed and the cases are solved.
"We don't want them to have to give us updates on info that shouldn't be provided at the time. We don't know who will be asking us questions, and what to say and what not to say," said Stepp.
