Police Citizens Advisory Council commends TPD’s handling of jail incident

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - During a press conference Thursday afternoon, the Police Citizens Advisory Council commended the Tallahassee Police Department’s handling of an incident at the jail last week involving an officer and a handcuffed suspect.

The officer, Charles Hansford, was fired on Monday.

TPD released bodycamera footage of the incident Wednesday evening.

The Police Citizens Advisory Council, represented by Chair Rudy Ferguson and two other members, announced their support of the decisions, including the firing and the release of footage.

The Council was created in January of 2020, just after Lawrence Revell took over as Police Chief. Due to the pandemic, it did not get up and running until the summer of 2020. The group has met once a month since then, and they’ve had many discussions with TPD about use of force.

Pastor Rudy Ferguson said he appreciated TPD’s transparency in the release of footage.

“In the past, we have witnessed nationwide the mishandling of similar situations involving law enforcement and civilians. Still, our work was not in vain, and we’re standing to recognize Chief Revell and the Tallahassee Police Department for making the right decision to dispense with the nonsense,” Ferguson said.

City leaders, Chief Revell, and Ferguson commended Officer Edward Campbell, who intervened in the situation.

“The actions of a fellow officer on the scene and the leadership of TPD are exactly the type of actions we have pushed for in a case such as this one,” Ferguson said.

During the press conference, Ferguson said the work of the Council is not finished, but they are heading in the right direction.

“We have consistently called for transparency and a sense of urgency and timing in officer involved situations are vital and applicable to ensure equality and justice for all Tallahassee citizens. We called for it, and they have expressed their commitment to it,” he said. “We believe that our ongoing discussions have emphasized the things necessary to bridge the gap between our communities, restore, and maintain public trust.”

State Attorney Jack Campbell said Hansford could face charges for the incident, but that decision could be days away.

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