By Ray King
With no dissent, the Pine Bluff City Council on Wednesday approved an ordinance revising the rank structure of the Pine Bluff Police Department.
Among other things, the ordinance provides for one assistant chief of police who is appointed and serves at discretion of the chief of police; and two deputy chiefs of police.
The ordinance also creates four captain positions, which do not currently exist within the department.
Chief of Police Denise Richardson told Deltaplex News why the new rank structure is important.
The ordinance provides for 11 lieutenants, 20 sergeants and 116 patrolmen, and carried an emergency clause, meaning it is effective immediately.
Also approved was a budget adjustment for $590,584 which will go toward the Delta Rhythm and Blues Cultural District as part of a $2 million commitment made last year. Council Member Bruce Lockett was asked about that commitment by Deltaplex News.
The money will come from the five-eights cent sales tax commonly called the Go Forward tax approved by city voters six years ago.
In other business, the council approved the appointment of Adrienne Cooper to the Pine Bluff Planning Commission, replacing LaTisha Woods; Kieona C. Culclager to the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Library Board of Trustees; Roland Watley to the Pine Bluff Hotel Public Facilities Board replacing Marty Casteel and Rosalind M. Mouser to the Pine Bluff Hotel Public Facilities Board replacing the late Bill Bridgforth.
