Clayton County Police Chief Greg Porter stands by the department's decision to issue handguns to county commissioners who request them.
Porter issued the statement Thursday afternoon, days after the news that a police-issued gun was stolen from a vehicle belonging to the vice chairman of the county commission, Wole Ralph. Officers said someone broke into Ralph's red Mustang on April 26 while it was parked on Harbin Village Court in Morrow.
Ralph had been issued the gun and had undergone training for the weapon as the result of some commissioners receiving death threats, police said.
But in an email to the AJC, Commissioner Michael Edmondson said he knew of no such policy allowing the guns to be issued by police.
"...a request for a handgun shortly after my taking office was denied by the then Chief of Police and my subsequent request to the now Chief of Police to purchase a handgun with personal funds through the department in order to achieve a discounted price on a weapon went without a response," Edmondson wrote.
Porter responded Thursday by saying he had not had a conversation about a gun or training with Edmondson.
“Most importantly we must remember that Commissioner Ralph is the victim here," Porter said in a statement. "He and other commissioners have received threats against their personal safety. We take such criminal actions very seriously."
Edmondson did not immediately respond to a request for further discussion about the issue.
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