Another $1,200 the Selma Police Department could ill afford to lose is headed to another private citizen with claims the department lost her car.

This settlement was announced Tuesday at the Selma City Council meeting by Mayor George Evans.

The 1991 Cadillac went missing from police headquarters in 2006. This was before police Chief William Riley III was hired to lead the police department. It was under former chief Jimmy Martin’s watch. Martin now is a sergeant with the police department.

Ironically, council member Dr. Monica Newton said if another of these settlements occurs, she would want an investigation. Several months ago, Newton voted for an investigation, then recanted, saying the council is not an investigative body.

The Selma Times-Journal has called for an investigation since the first missing vehicles came to light. We still believe an investigation is in order.

We do not expect the finger of blame to be laid on anyone in the police department. What we expect from an open city council probe of this is to take the light of suspicion off good, honest officers who work in the Selma Police Department.