Agencies unify to address security during upcoming trial

Oct. 6—Law enforcement, public safety and community leaders in Glynn County have united to address crowd control and potential disturbances during the upcoming trial of three White men accused of murder in the 2020 shooting death of a 25-year-old Black man.

Jury selection begins Oct. 18 at the Glynn County Courthouse for Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan, the three men who face murder and false imprisonment charges in the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery. Travis McMichael shot the unarmed Arbery three times at close range with a shotgun on Feb. 23, 2020, ending a chase of several minutes in which the three defendants pursued Arbery in pickup trucks as he ran on public streets in the Satilla Shores community.

The case has stirred emotions on a national level and sparked cries of racial injustice, prompting community leaders to expect a large turnout of protesters and demonstrators from outside of the community. The nation's top television news outlets and media from across the state and the country also are expected to descend on Glynn County for the trial, which could take several weeks to reach a verdict.

A multi-agency group called Unified Command formed over the summer to help ensure that First Amendment rights to assemble are protected while also safeguarding the community at large. (The group is not to be confused with the county's other Unified Command, the federal and state entity overseeing the salvage operation of the shipwrecked Golden Ray.)

Unified Command will hold a public town hall meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Brunswick-Glynn County Library, 208 Gloucester St. Brunswick Mayor Cornell Harvey and Glynn County Commission Chairman Wayne Neal will moderate, said Jay Sellers, spokesman for Unified Command.

"We fully support peaceful assembly," said Sellers, who also is the spokesman for the Brunswick-Glynn Joint Water and Sewer Commission. "Our intent is to provide a means for anyone who is engaging in assembly for the trial. We'll be there to help maintain order."

Unified Command consists of Brunswick and county police, city and county firefighters, county public schools police, College of Coastal Georgia police, the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office, the county Emergency Management Agency and others. It is overseen by an executive policy group that includes Harvey, Neal, county Sheriff Neal Jump, Glynn County Attorney Aaron Mumford, Brunswick City Manager Regina McDuffy and District Attorney Keith Higgins.

Its decision-making will rest with a panel of incident commanders. Those commanders are: Major Greg Post of the Brunswick Police Department; Capt. Jeremiah Berquist of the Glynn County Police Department, deputy Justin Juliano of the county sheriff's office; Schools Police Chief Rod Ellis; CCGA Police Chief Bryan Sipe, Travis Johnson of the county fire department; Timothy White of the city fire department; and Brunswick DA Chief Investigator Jody Ponsell.

A law enforcement presence will be on hand at the courthouse at 701 H. St. in Brunswick during the trial, as will fire-rescue personnel, Sellers said. The sheriff's office will maintain its commitment to courthouse security.

Sellers said the primary objective is to maintain order while permitting full free speech and rights to public assembly. Before coming to the BGJWSC, Sellers worked with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency.

The command might also provide public updates and information about possible road closures or activities that might be affected by the large turnouts expected, he said.

At its website (www.glynnunifiedcommand.org), Unified Command encourages demonstrators to apply for permitting. It notes that the group may be able to assist with restrooms, masks for COVID-19 protection and other amenities for those peacefully assembled.

"We fully support law enforcement," Sellers said. "There will be a law enforcement presence, but it's not essentially a law enforcement objective."

Unified Command is patterned off of practices by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Seller said. The command also took instruction from GEMA as well as the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynn County.

On Friday, the executive policy group attended a program on the National Incident Management System (NIMS) conducted by FLETC advisors, Sellers said.

The cost of the response is unknown at this time, Sellers said. However, it will be incurred by the city and the county jointly, he said.

"Budgeting for that is ongoing," he said.

The group feels the protection of the community and the protection of First Amendment rights are worth the investment.

"If you are planning to visit us to take part in events, we welcome you to do so," the website states. "If you live and/or work in Glynn County, our goal is to minimize any potential impact. This is our community, and we are invested along with you in the orderly conduct of demonstrations. We encourage you to take part in the free expression of ideas guaranteed to all citizens but (we) remain prepared to respond if conduct becomes a threat to public health or safety."