HomeMy Public PortalAboutCOTI_PR20100610_MayorBuelterman.pdfMAYOR
Jason Buelterman
CITY COUNCIL
Shirley Sessions, Mayor Pro Tem
Wanda D. Doyle
Bill Garbett
Frank Schuman, Sr.
Kathryn Williams
Paul Wolff CITY OF TYBEE ISLAND
CITY MANAGER
Diane Schleicher
CLERK OF COUNCIL
Vivian O. Woods
CITY ATTORNEY
Edward M. Hughes
P.O. Box 2749 – 403 Butler Avenue, Tybee Island, Georgia 31328-2749
(866) 786-4573 – FAX (866) 786-5737
www.cityoftybee.org
PRESS RELEASE: CONTACT: Mayor Jason Buelterman
For immediate release (912) 786-4573, x108
Statement from City of Tybee Island Mayor Buelterman
Tybee Island, GA – (June 10, 2010) Tybee’s Mayor Jason Buelterman today released the following statement:
There has been a great deal of media coverage in recent weeks about an incident involving the use of
a taser on Tybee a few weeks ago.
Many have requested an official response from the City. Please understand that our City has taken
significant steps to address the concerns raised by this incident, but unfortunately we are limited as to
what we can say publicly because of a notice of litigation, an actual lawsuit, a pending case , and an
ongoing internal investigation.
The City does take the matter seriously and has taken the following steps:
-We reached out to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to conduct a thorough review of the
incident so as to ensure that an unbiased and thorough account of the circumstances is obtained.
-We have purchased cameras for our taser equipment.
-Our officers will soon receive training so they can better recognize conditions such as autism. We are
grateful to the Mathew Reardon Center (MRC) for their willingness to assist us in this endeavor. The
Reardon Center is dedicated to the care & education of children with neurodevelopment disabilities ,
and we are hopeful that their expertise will help our City as we work to prepare for a growing
population of young people with such conditions.
-We immediately released the police reports about the incident to the public and will also be as
forthcoming as possible about the findings of the GBI investigation.
-The investigation of personnel matters continues. Much of what has transpired thus far relative to
personnel does not directly relate to the tazing incident but rather to the reports issued after the
incident took place. We have a City Manager form of government, which Tybee voters approved over
a decade ago. This form of government empowers our City Manager to ha ndle issues related to
personnel. The City Council has done a good job of abiding by our Charter and allowing our City
Manager to manage her staff in a way that she sees fit.
It should also be noted that our City is focused on responding to this situation by taking a methodical
and deliberative approach so as to ensure constructive outcomes which we would not obtain from a
decision-making process based on emotion, rumor and speculation.
P.O. Box 2749 – 403 Butler Avenue, Tybee Island, Georgia 31328-2749
(866) 786-4573 – FAX (866) 786-5737
www.cityoftybee.org
I would also like to point out something else. Our Police Department has an extremely challenging
job. Tybee has approximately 3800 residents. But in the summer, Tybee's actual population can swell
to many as 30,000 people. It is extremely difficult to effectively and efficiently police a population that
has such a high degree of fluctuation in terms of size. Despite this fact, our Police force does a very
good job of fulfilling its mission. In the end, the mission of our police department is to protect and
serve Tybee’s citizens, tourists, and visitors. We will continue to strive to make sure their mission is
fulfilled.
About Tybee Island, GA.: The City of Tybee Island, Georgia is on the outermost barrier island off the Savannah area coast. With a wild bird
sanctuary, over three miles of ocean beaches, and salt marshes on the back river, outdoor recreation activities abound for visitors to the
island. As a key defense point to the important Savannah port, Tybee’s Fort Screven, Tybee Fort Theater, Fort Pulaski, and the Tybee Island
and Cockspur Lighthouses combine with the unique architectures of the island’s raised cottages to form a rich backdrop for history buffs.
Attracting a strong artistic community, there are several local supporting art galleries. Keeping the island interesting year round are several
arts festivals, the Annual Pirate Fest, the Beach Bum Parade, St Patrick’s Day celebrations, the Hot Rod Run, the Beach Bash, and the
Christmas Parade, as well as fireworks displays on Independence and New Year’s Days off the Walter W. Parker Pier and Pavilion. The Marine
Science Center cooperates with Georgia’s DNR to protect threatened sea turtle species by searching for nests, protecting their eggs, and
making sure hatchlings make it to sea. For visitor information, stop by http://www.tybeevisit.com/, and to find more about the City of Tybee
Island, visit our web site at http://www.cityoftybee.org/.
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