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After an executive session Monday, the Lowndes County Commission voted 3-2 to bring charges against Sheriff Chris West. The motion came from Commissioner Robert Harris, who said the action was necessary after West allegedly interfered with a commission meeting and threatened to arrest commissioners.

“I would like to make a motion that the Sheriff be charged with interfering with an official governmental meeting or government action and making threats to throw the commissioners in jail,” Harris said.

The motion, seconded by Commissioner Joshua Simmons, resulted from a heated exchange between Harris and West at the commission’s June 24 meeting. Harris requested the actions as part of a written statement delivered during the group’s July 8 meeting, but commissioners adjourned that meeting without taking action. 

Commissioners Dickson Farrior and Joseph Bargaineer voted no. Commissioners Harris, Simmons and Charlie King Jr. voted to affirm the measure.

West declined to comment on the commission’s decision.

In another motion, also seconded by Simmons and approved by commissioners in a 3-2 vote, Harris requested commissioners require the Sheriff to attend anger management classes before returning to his office. Farrior and Blankenship opposed the motion, while Harris, King and Simmons voted to approve the measure.

King, who is the commission chairman, asked County Attorney Prince Chestnut for his opinion on the motion.

“You can pass [the motion], but he is not an employee of the County,” Chestnut said. He said legally the county cannot mandate West attend the classes because he is an elected official, not a county employee.

“He’s a detriment to the county if he comes in to threaten us,” Harris said. “Clearly, he was angry. He’s got anger issues. If we don’t put anything in place, he can come in and run roughshod again.”

Harris altered his motion, requesting the body recommend the Sheriff attend anger management classes.

The commissioners did not identify the body’s next steps for upholding the motion. It is unclear how the commissioners’ vote to charge West will be enforced.

District Attorney Charlotte Tesmer said the commission’s decision raises questions about how exactly the body will enforce its decision. It remains unclear as to whether a county commission can press charges, but Tesmer explained that an individual must sign an arrest warrant before a court will seek to determine whether there is probable cause to issue the warrant.

“An individual has to sign a criminal warrant for a criminal charge,” Tesmer said. 

Chestnut said the best outcome would be for the commissioners and the Sheriff to work together towards the best solution for Lowndes County citizens.

“I’m still hopeful that we can figure out another way to resolve this issue,” Chestnut said. “I just think we have got to resolve the issue. We have got to work together on this and figure out how to make it work.”