Athens City Council discusses APD spending, COVID-19

Athens City Council discussed the Athens Police Department’s (APD) spendings and equipment at their Tuesday night meeting.

Acting Service Safety Director Tom Pyle provided the Council with a report of transactions and expenses made by Athens law enforcement as required by the Ohio Revised Code.

The report detailed that most expenses were for computers. Other expenses included body cameras and 9 mm weapons.

Over the past two years, APD has been transitioning from .40 caliber equipment to 9 mm weapons, according to Pyle. The transition was due to the .40 caliber equipment having aged. The cost of its ammunition has also become more expensive than that for the 9 mm weapons. 

Council President Chris Knisely spoke with APD about these purchases, affirming they do not possess any military-grade hardware.

APD’s equipment transition included the purchase of body-worn cameras. APD informed Knisely the body cameras automatically start when a sidearm is drawn, a taser is deployed or the red lights and sirens are on in the cruisers. 

In other business, Knisely read a letter written by Athens resident David Wakefield expressing irritation with what he said he has seen as businesses disregarding the city’s mask ordinance.

“Lowe’s, Tractor Supply, Walmart, Menards and even Kroger have people at the door encouraging mask-wearing, but they do not stop perpetrators, and I have seen many maskless people there,” Knisely read. “Columbus has the same size chain stores with the same number of employees but they have a security guard at the door who simply does not allow anyone in without a face mask.”

In his letter, Wakefield claimed that after a month or two, the people of Columbus have stopped trying to enter businesses without face coverings. As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Athens, he expressed disappointment that such behaviors are going unchecked.

Councilmember Sarah Grace said not only is there a citywide mask ordinance, but there is also a statewide mask mandate, and the penalties for violation of the statewide mandate are harsher.

“COVID-19 is predominantly transmitted via respiratory droplets that are generated when we talk, breathe, sing, cough, sneeze, and multi-layered cloth masks have been shown to block upwards of 80% of those droplets,” Grace stated. 

She stressed the importance of wearing masks among other safety measures, adding COVID-19, with a current death toll of over 400,000, has become the leading cause of death in the United States.

Mayor Steve Patterson also said the city of Athens will begin a phased vaccination plan, as issued by the Ohio Health Department. 

This week, individuals aged 80 and up are eligible to receive the vaccine. Starting Jan. 25, Ohioans aged 75 or older and those with developmental disorders will be eligible to be vaccinated. The following week, those aged 70 or older and those working in the K-12 school systems will be eligible.