Discussion of the Branson Police Department as well as how to pay them and other City Employees dominated an over six hour Board of Aldermen Meeting Tuesday.
During the public comment section of the meeting, several police officers as well as other citizens reacted to comments made by City Administrator Stan Dobbins at a Study Session last week when he said in response to a statement made by Mayor Larry Milton about the Police Department being in Crisis Mode that he disagreed with that assessment saying that he has done that job and knows more about being policeman "...far more than some of the kids downstairs that don't know what being a policeman is being about evidently." The comments in response Tuesday night also expressed concern about the pay of the officers as they try to compete with other departments around the region.
Nearly six hours later as the meeting had reached its conclusion during his report, Dobbins, who was Branson's Chief of Police before becoming City Administrator, said he regretted his choice of words last week and that he planned to talk to all of the officers individually but said he always had their backs and that he would never hurt them and is sorry if he did after last week's meeting.
In between those points in the meeting, there was a lengthy discussion on how to finance a plan to give police and all city employees a raise which will be continued during a Special Board Meeting with the Finance Committee this Thursday morning at 10:00 am.
The complete meeting can be seen on the City of Branson's YouTube Channel.
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