Taylortown's council held a special called meeting earlier this month to consider complaints about its police officers.

The town force has been augmented with a number of new reserve officers, and not all members of the council had met every one of them.

Because these were personnel matters to be discussed, the board went into closed session, Town Clerk Carolyn Mitchell said.

Under the town's mayor/council charter, one member serves as police commissioner, currently Charlotte Worthy. She had requested the meeting be called, Mitchell said, because Worthy wanted to bring a number of residents' concerns to the board's attention and give Police Chief Damon Williams an opportunity to discuss them.

While details of the matters discussed in the closed session were not available, Mitchell said Worthy was concerned about complaints over how officers had dealt with people during arrests and traffic checks.

"Some residents had complained about officers using abusive language," Mitchell said. "The chief defended his officers. He told the council that this is a small town, and people will complain."

Williams will introduce his new officers to the council, which will be more involved in future hiring of officers, Mitchell said. No action followed the closed session.

Contact John Chappell at 783-5841 or by e-mail at jchappell@thepilot.com.