COLUMBUS, Ohio – City officials say Columbus public safety director Mitchell Brown is retiring after being reprimanded because thousands of calls to a complaint center under his department’s jurisdiction went ignored.
Brown announced his retirement Thursday after 14 years as public safety director. The announcement follows reports that nearly 6,500 calls to the city’s 311 call center had been neglected since 2007. Many of those calls reported drug dealing, gang activity, neighbor disputes or illegal fires.
In a statement Thursday, Brown didn’t give a reason for his retirement decision but said he’d been honored to serve Columbus residents.
Mayor Michael Coleman also made no mention of the issue in a statement from his office. “Our city is stronger and our residents are safer as a result of his leadership, and he leaves big shoes for us to fill. I will continue to call upon him for counsel in the days and years ahead,” Coleman said.
Brown’s retirement will take effect Oct. 3. He previously served as director for Ohio’s Department of Public Safety, registrar for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, state lottery director and safety director in Cleveland.