brookside, alabama police department

Outside the jail this morning, the lawyer told Blaine Wilson of WAAO News in Andalusia that Jones is innocent and he will prove it in court. Will Ainsworth requested a state audit, and amid calls for state and federal investigations. Periodic review of bodycam video can be used to monitor and investigate possible profiling or other alleged misconduct. The suit also names 23 current and former officers as individual defendants. This is at the corner of Roberta Road and Mulberry Road, which is far away from their city limits.. That meeting will be at 6 p.m. at the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office Training Center in Fultondale, 3500 Happy Hollow Lane. At least three bills are now before the Legislature that would affect those cities. (Joe Songer for AL.com).Joe Songer. This is the statement from the Town of Brookside: Mike Jones resigned as the Police Chief for the Town of Brookside. In another case, Brookside police last year confiscated a 2014 Honda Civic owned by a man named Sean Wattson, even though Wattson was not driving and was not in the car, according to a lawsuit he filed against the town. A man claims officers violated his civil rights and allegedly made-up charges. Yet Savelle was right-hand man to then-Brookside Chief Mike Jones, and since Jones was out of town during the arrest, Savelle served as acting chief when Hoover police approached him at Dave & Busters. Brookside has 1,253 people, according to the most recent census. Will Ainsworth has requested an audit of Brooksides town and police force, and lawmakers across party lines have called for bills to help curb small-town policing for profit on Alabama Interstates. Its more important now than ever before that law enforcement maintain high levels of professionalism and integrity, he said. The town could benefit from a formal complaint procedure to provide real time information on alleged racial profiling incidents or incidents of alleged misbehavior of any kind -- at the individual officer level. The transformation of Brookside's police department began in 2018, under the direction of long-serving and now late Mayor Roger McCondichie. Between April 2018 and June 2020, they handed out 406 of those tickets, or about 15 a month, according to documents filed in the lawsuit. That contributed a 14% chunk of the citys total income, a number that would be considered high in much of America. No communitysmall or large can do it alone. I dont condone it, but you know, Im not the chief out there.. Brookside has operated its police and court system with the primary objective of obtaining revenue from motorists traveling on or near Interstate-22, Harris lawyers wrote in a suit filed last year. I cant stand a dirty cop, Sheriff Turman told AL.com. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. I was scared to death even though I was doing nothing wrong.. In 2020 they came to $610,000. I know that.. State Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, who represents the area surrounding Brookside, has called for the resignation of Bryan, Municipal Judge Jim Wooten and City Attorney/Prosecutor Mark Parnell. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). One of those visions: increasing officer pay to $18 per hour with better benefits in order . When Jones was hired as chief in 2018, he was the only full-time police officer, he said in sworn testimony for a lawsuit filed against him and the city. In the meantime, well continue to make good on our promises to reform policing in Brookside, said Mayor Bryan on Wednesday. That document budgeted $646,620 to the police this year. Two or three days later Brookside police stopped him again. Alabama Senate candidate Lisa Ward said ex-Chief Jones tried to intimidate her in a social media message after she shared the AL.com story on Facebook. Michelle Jones made an official complaint to the Alabama Attorneys Generals office three years ago, arguing that Brookside police stopped her out of jurisdiction, issued a bogus citation and threatened her with more charges after she criticized them on Facebook. Brookside police officers in sworn depositions indicated they did not follow drivers for a full mile and a half before or after the new law was passed, and they continued to write tickets under the old law after the new road rage bill passed. WVTM 13 Digital. You know, weve had a lot of issues with Brookside.. Terms and Conditions. The deputy described a Brookside badge with a chief indicator at the bottom. The towns administrative expenditures rose 40% and overall spending jumped 112%, from $553,000 in 2018 to $1.2 million in 2020. She was also charged with resisting arrest. He waved it around the restaurant, in front of customers and staff. And 99% of them are lying.. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. If we have to come get ya, well make you famous!, When you look at their Facebook pages its almost like they are bullies. They were infatuated with Mike (Jones) because he was doing all this good for Brookside and they couldnt see any of the bad.. she added. I feel bad for those guys who struggle, Perez said. Yet the town with no traffic lights collected $487 in fines and forfeitures in 2020 for every man, woman and child, though many of those fined were merely passing by on I-22. About a year ago, the former head of the Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police received several complaints about the Brookside Police Department. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Popularity:#11 of 45 Police Departments in Jefferson County#69 of 565 Police Departments in Alabama#2,237 in Police Departments. They were shining these flashlights in my car and it was daylight. In 2020, she had explained her case this way to the AGs office: The person threatened me with an arrest if I did not take down my Facebook pictures and posts of their police officers, stop sending emails to the local politicians, as well as others, and show them (Brookside police) that I understand law enforcement practices.. So it was a bit of a moral outrage because I had sat in court three times now and it was no longer a mistake., This was an intentional policy of the city and my niece just happened to get caught up in it and happened to challenge it. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. State agencies have since launched audits and investigations of police there, and officials such as Alabama Lt. Gov. The audits show, however, how the town came to depend on the ticket money. Brookside, just north of Birmingham, already faces at least 10 lawsuits about its policing. Ive never seen a possession case split like that, he said. Brookside Police did patrol the 1.5-mile stretch of Interstate 22 within their jurisdiction and wrote tickets that brought in $82,467 in fines. The town of Brookside, Alabama holds municipal court once a month. In addition, the police charged her with making a false 911 call, obstructing government operations by refusing to give proper papers, and disorderly conduct for yelling for others to come out of their homes. BROOKSIDE, Ala. After a tumultuous few weeks for the city of Brookside, including the resignation of police Chief Mike Jones, more allegations were brought to light against the city's police department on Thursday. The problem for those alleging misconduct is that officers may be immune from lawsuits if their actions are found to be a part of their official duties, Dawson said. I was working that night and I received a phone call from the Hoover police chief, she said. The town of Brookside, Alabama holds municipal court once a month. Police must direct traffic before the 1 p.m. court session starts. Brookside now faces at least five lawsuits. Even the claims of retaliation for social media posts are not unusual in Brookside. A Brookside officer ticketed Brumlow under Alabama code section 32-5-77, which her lawyers contend does not contain a crime. They had blinders on. Officials from the examiners office were believed to visit Brookside last week. This is extortion., The 46-page complaint claims each of the named police officers, under former police chief Mike Jones, knew that they were violating the constitutional, statutory, and common law rights of the Classes pled herein, and did so to create more revenue for the Town of Brookside so that they, in turn, could enjoy the fruits of that revenue in the form of pay, benefits, equipment, and receipt of the profits from policing as described herein.. (Joe Songer for AL.com).Joe Songer. Mike Jones, former police chief in the troubled Alabama town of Brookside, was arrested today on felony charges of impersonating a peace officer during a traffic stop in south Alabama. They gave me a ticket for running a stop sign. It is the second time in four days a former Brookside police officer has been jailed. The primary function of the Police Department is deterring crime, stopping crimes in progress, investigating crimes, and serving as first responders for emergencies and situations that threaten public safety. But not in the courtroom. in the wake of news coverage about the arrest. "This city is a ticking, ticking time bomb waiting to explode," state Rep. Juandalynn Givan, who has called for other town officials to resign, told the NBC affiliate WVTM in Birmingham. Another woman, Emily Sierra, emailed AL.com to say she was pulled over in Brookside three years ago for a single flash of her lights to warn oncoming traffic about a speed trap. Erik Ortiz is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital focusing on racial injustice and social inequality. Her lawyers argue that the city uses obscure possible violations to justify stopping and searching passersby, hoping to add more offenses in a sort of highway lottery to fill the coffers. In a two-year period between 2018 and 2020 Brookside revenues from fines and forfeitures soared more than 640 percent and now make up half the citys total income. Read more stories from our Banking on Crime series: If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read more stories from our Banking on Crime series: If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. "Even if you legitimately stop someone because they need a light on their car fixed, if you give them a ticket, how does that meet the goal that a person's car be made safer?" All rights reserved (About Us). State Representative Juandalynn Givan isnt surprised by the report. By 2020 Brookside made more misdemeanor arrests than it has residents. The courtroom and the parking lot are packed with people. It's a story that is really egregious and heinous for a variety of reasons.". BROOKSIDE, Ala. (WBRC) - A special report regarding racial profiling in the Town of Brooksides Traffic Enforcement Program was released by the city-appointed investigator, former Circuit Court Judge Ken Simon. Savelle on Monday resigned from the Brookside Department, hours after AL.com asked city officials about his past. It went from towing 50 vehicles in 2018 to 789 in 2020 each carrying fines. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The town of Brookside, Alabama holds municipal court once a month. Copyright 2022 WBRC. The AGs office this week would not confirm or deny to AL.com the existence of any case involving Brookside. Updated 5:15 p.m. May 2 to add Brookside response. Brookside police gave her a ticket in May of 2019 for running a stop sign at Roberta Road and Cherry Avenue across I-22 from Brookside. "There is no coming back from this. ABC 33/40s Cynthia Gould reported at the time. Dozens of people who claim they were victimized by Brookside Police have come forward to tell their stories. Turman said it critical to hold officers to a high standard. There is no trust," Representative Juandalynn Givan said. We encourage Brookside to form more partnerships with local, state and federal authorities to fully take back the town. Mayor Bryan dismissed the complaints of those who must appear in court. Brookside Police Department. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. We get calls about Brookside quite regularly because they really go outside their jurisdiction to stop people, Pettway said. I wouldnt be surprised if they opened up an investigation. All rights reserved (About Us). Asked in December how many officers were on staff, he refused to say, citing security concerns, though police staff sizes are reported regularly to the government for public consumption. However, an initial review of the complaint reveals that any allegations of conspiracy are false and without merit and the Town vehemently denies such allegations.. Jones again as Mayor Bryan nodded said the goal of the department is only to help people. Police stops soared between 2018 and 2020. She agrees that there was selective enforcement. Kimberlee Hudgens was a dispatcher at the Brookside Police Department at the time of Savelles Hoover arrest. It has had a continued practice of stopping and ticketing scores of vehicles daily, doing so without probable cause or reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing.. Fifth, the town needs help in fighting drug trafficking. It resulted in Brookside Police Chief Mike Jones resigning Tuesday on the same day Alabama Lt. Gov. Vincent Witt and his sister, Tareya, Chief Jones tried to intimidate her in a social media message, Police in this tiny Alabama town suck drivers into legal black hole, Pastor, sister say rogue Alabama police force sought revenge, This Alabama county fastens ankle monitors on hundreds who arent convicted of crimes, Life on an ankle monitor in Alabama: $10 a day and inevitable imperfections, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. And it broke her heart, it broke my heart.. WBRC FOX6 News has reached out to the Town of Brookside leaders for a response to the special report, and we will update this story when we receive a response. Theres no way I was going to run that stop sign.. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Brookside, Alabama, a former mining community of about 1,250 with a median household income less than $40,000, has no traffic lights and only a handful of two-lane roads, yet it raked in so much revenue from traffic fines and forfeitures in 2020, it amounted to almost half of its $1.2 million municipal budget. Do you understand what you are charged with? the judge asked on that first Thursday in December. Its very uncertain as a citizen of Brookside now.. If you want to go out there and do something like that, you are creating a law., Perez said the officer went absolutely crazy over her lack of ID. He said the case remains active and under investigation, and he is trying to determine if the Chevy Tahoe that Jones was driving once belonged to the town of Brookside. Michelle Jones said she has had friends, acquaintances and family members stopped in Brookside. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). The town also provided a set of police stats Jones presented to the Brookside council to push for more resources and authority. Neither the mayor nor chief would talk about pending litigation, but both said they have reviewed the cases involved, including bodycam footage, and said they found no wrongdoing on the citys part. He was also ticketed for improper signal, though he cant even fathom how that might have occurred. Sarathy Jones said the issues in Brookside should be a warning for towns and small cities to examine their revenue sources and ensure their local governments aren't turning to law enforcement as moneymaking arms. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit, originally filed on behalf of Cory Thomas, are Thomas; Tinetta Jackson; Keyarah Smith; Ben Blackwell; James Donahue; Gerald Smith; Brittany Todd; and Zachary Harris. Brookside Police Chief Mike Jones, who spearheaded the change and grew the police department tenfold, at least, calls the towns policing a positive story. Mayor Mike Bryan a former councilman who assumed his position last year after the death of the previous mayor sits and nods in agreement. Up an investigation told AL.com current and former officers as individual defendants more partnerships with,. Officer pay brookside, alabama police department $ 18 per hour with better benefits in order LLC. Back from this the meantime, well continue to make good on our to. I cant stand a dirty cop, Sheriff Turman told AL.com that stop sign who struggle, Perez.... Mike Jones resigning Tuesday on the same day Alabama Lt. Gov ticketed Brumlow under Alabama code section 32-5-77 which! 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