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Vidalia police chief wants to hear from public

Published 12:03am Wednesday, September 5, 2012

VIDALIA — Police Chief Arthur Lewis said he intends to stay true to his word that the Vidalia Police Department has an open-door policy.

Which is why Lewis, and the rest of the police department, will host a public meeting from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday to get some feedback from the community.

“During my campaign for police chief, I gave people my word that we would always have an open-door policy and for that to happen the citizens need to come in and ask their questions,” Lewis said. “We want to give citizens the answers to the questions they have, but we can’t do that if we don’t hear the questions.”

Lewis was elected police chief in March by 39 votes, beating out opponent Todd Ainsworth in a 51 percent to 49 percent photo finish.

Lewis also served as chief on an interim basis for five months before winning a special election for the seat in April 2011.

But through multiple elections and interim positions, Lewis wasn’t officially sworn into the police chief role until June, which he said still feels like yesterday.

“I’m just now going into my third month officially in office, and I already have people calling saying I broke promises,” Lewis said. “I gave them my word that I would do my best to keep these citizens safe while being fair and honest, and that’s what I’m doing.”

In July, a group of Vidalia residents filed a recall petition against Lewis.

The petition must be signed by 33 and 1/3 of the qualified electors within 180 days for a recall election to be considered by the state.

Lewis said the decision to have the meeting wasn’t based on the petition, but Lewis also said he would address the issue to the best of his ability if it were to come up during the meeting.

“I just want the community to stay involved with this department because it is their department,” Lewis said. “I’m not upset with the people who filed the petition because they have the right to do that.

“I will protect and serve everyone the same — regardless of the petition — because we’re here to protect all the citizens of Vidalia.”

The meeting will be at the police department, located in between Vidalia City Hall and the Vidalia Fire Department at the new municipal complex on U.S. 84.

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  • Anonymous

    That recall must have him running scared to come up with this. I love the way the ND makes it sound like poor Arthur just took office in June. He was Interim Chief for 5 months and won the special election in April 2011 to finish out the former Chief’s term. Now over a year later he has taken office for a full term. It isn’t like he hasn’t had control of the department for a year and a half already!

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/CNEGJEREYHUI5BRK2QOT4GXCNI Big

    Well you know Todd would not be ANY Better infact this town would go to hell in a hand basket if he was in.  I personally think him not winning the election HURT his LITTLE EGO!   They way he views things and LIES!  If you want to replace ARTHUR Please do with somebody else besides Todd.  The town of VIDALIA deserves Better than TODD. 

  • Anonymous

    The recall must have him running scared ????  That is a understatement !!!!
    From what I’ve seen and heard, the petition is wide open. Support is coming in from all over.
    *** My statement is: WHY DON’T THEY HAVE IT IN THE EVENING TIME WHEN PEOPLE CAN GO ? Vidalia has their City Meetings in the Evenings !!!!
    People of Vidalia DON’T trust him. There are some good people in that department left, but only a few. 
    *** This meeting is a Trick.  Should have been doing your job from the start. Why try to explain now, damage is done.

     From what I understand, the Recall Petition is not about who is going to replace Arthur Lewis.
     IT’S ALL ABOUT GETTING ARTHUR LEWIS OUT !!!!
     Nothing in the world worst than a person going bad ……….
     
     The people of Vidalia will vote in a replacement.   

  • Anonymous

    I am totally against the recall effort for the following reason: Elections have consequences.  Whether you like the outcome or not, Arthur Lewis won the election. No question about it.  Unless additional facts are brought to light IMMEDIATELY, this recall effort is an effort in obsurdity.  At some point in time, in this country and itn Vidalia, the elections must stop, and governance must begin.   It’s time for the losers (of the election) to go on with more productive endeavors. Lord knows we need some productivity in the Miss-Lou.

  • Anonymous

    I didn’t say anything about Todd.  I was only calling attention to the fact that he has been in office for nearly 2 years already and they are trying to make it sound like he just got there!

  • Anonymous

    Sounds kinda socialist to me that you want the elections to stop and governance to begin.  

  • Anonymous

    Yes you are right that elections have consequences and I am so glad that we still live in a country where those consequences can be tempered by the right to recall any elected official if they don’t do their job or try to use their office for their own fiefdom and abuse the power given them by the people!

  • Anonymous

    Friend: We have elections every four years. That gives the office holders time to do their job. or not do their job so that the voters can kick them out at the end of their term of office.  The reason we are seeing recalls everywhere is that some don’t like the result of the election. Look at what happened in Wisconsin recently. A perfect example of an angry electorate that is unhappy with the things the elected  official said he would accomplish. Same case here. Socialism has nothing to do with this issue. It is four years between elections. When will the electioneering end? Will this go on until we get the result we want? What does that say about the electorate that will allow that?

  • Anonymous

    1blacksheep you must be one of those sorry one Chief Lewis fired. I smell sour grapes. let the man do his job.
    good job Chief Lewis

  • Anonymous

     Friend Arthur Lewis has had this job for almost 2 years and if he can’t do it now he never will be able to.

  • Anonymous

    Go to Hell Big…..Todd is a christian person

  • Anonymous

    You must have lost your mind man……he fired officers that he told to cover up Justin Conners accident in Vidalia.

  • Anonymous

    Waterhole that what your head must be made of Chief Lewis never would tell anyone to cover up for anything wrong. You must forgot Connor trying to save his own skin. Wake up man!!!!!!

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