Please keep it more-or-less civil. Fallout over the Brookside revelations continues. He is still torn, wondering if he should have fought the town harder. He seems to want to push the blame off on everybody else when he and (former mayor) Roger McCondichie both appointed Mike Jones knowing about his past. But Brookside revenues from fines and forfeitures soared after that, and the towns law-enforcement goals and its reputation changed. People stand in line, waiting to get into the courtroom. I saw the same attitude in every officer and every person, he said. BROOKSIDE, Ala. ( WIAT) Tuesday's town hall called to discuss issues involving the Brookside Police Department is already causing change to happen. A third calls for guidelines on how cities and towns handle municipal courts. The transformation of Brookside's police department began in 2018, under the direction of long-serving and now late Mayor Roger McCondichie. (Joe Songer for AL.com).Joe Songer. . Nationally, the average size of a force is one officer for every 588 residents, according to a Governing Magazine study that relied on federal statistics. She was also charged with resisting arrest. Do you understand what you are charged with? the judge asked on that first Thursday in December. BROOKSIDE, Ala. The police chief of a northern Alabama town resigned Tuesday amid allegations that he set up an aggressive traffic trap that by 2020 accounted for nearly half of the town's . 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. During his time as a council member, Mike Bryan voted for and helped to pass ordinances strengthening the Brookside Police Department in addition to passing city budgets with revenues increasing over 600%, she said. The conclusion reads: The next day she spoke to the husband of the woman who complained to Hoover police. The report was released on September 29, 2022. She pulled to the side of the road as the SUV pulled behind her, and a wrecker simultaneously parked nearby. The police departments Facebook page it claims more than a million visitors became a vehicle for public shaming with embarrassing mugshots and derision for those who owe fines and fees Turn yourself in. I cant stand them., In a statement today, Turman said In this case, we had a young deputy that was trying to be respectful to a supposed veteran officer and gave him a break. Allan Armstrong, one of a group of lawyers who filed the complaint, said Brookside violated basic American rights. The complaint seeks to establish four classes of people who were stopped and extorted by the town of Brookside, Jetts Towing Co. or the officers. For Michelle Jones, it has been a dedicated three-year fight. It resulted in Brookside Police Chief Mike Jones resigning Tuesday on the same day Alabama Lt. Gov. By last summer, he said in a deposition, Brookside had hired eight additional full-time officers and several part-timers. And a Brookside man told AL.com police in the town pulled him over with blue lights and told him there would be consequences if he posted more about the police on Facebook. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Bryan did not respond to questions about Savelle, or Jones hiring. Terms and Conditions. In his call to Jones this week, the investigator said he could not tell me anything because of the ongoing investigation, Jones said. But Savelle would not be fired. He was charged with misdemeanor possession, but also five counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, for: The names of the officers were not listed on the tickets in secretive Brookside. Not all of them can afford to pay their fines as he did, and some have been put on payment plans. And so thats why I decided to fight.. (Photographerlondon / Dreamstime.com) Brookside, Alabama, has a population of less than 1,500 people. Months of research and dozens of interviews by AL.com found that Brooksides finances are rocket-fueled by tickets and aggressive policing. Current Mayor Mike Bryan has called for Brookside police to stop patrolling Interstate 22, except for wrecks and emergencies. There's no greater way in which your rights can be infringed than by becoming prey to. Its not about making a dollar, Jones said. Fairness and real justice, I believe, is something people are looking for when it comes to law enforcement. Police must direct traffic before the 1 p.m. court session starts. Read also: Brookside police patrolled social media, threatening town critics. 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. Jones again as Mayor Bryan nodded said the goal of the department is only to help people. Police must direct traffic before the 1 p.m. court session starts. Seven Brookside police officers have resigned since January Published: Feb. 09, 2022, 10:00 a.m. Netta Womack tells her story about Brookside police at a town hall Tuesday February 1, 2022.. View map of Brookside Police Department, and get driving directions from your location. Privacy Policy Brookside is the "the wild, Wild West," one state lawmaker said after its income from traffic fines and forfeitures reportedly rose 640 percent in 2 years. The audits show, however, how the town came to depend on the ticket money. He waved it around the restaurant, in front of customers and staff. "The Town of Brookside is committed to reforming our police department and setting a new standard for community policing in Brookside and Alabama," says Bryan. However, Jones resigned or was let go from Brooksides police department on Jan. 25, soon after reports of the small towns aggressive policing drew the attention of state lawmakers and local officials. Sheriff Pettway said those who face charges in Brookside and want to ensure justice can get a bond and appeal their case. Thats 49% of the small towns skyrocketing revenue. Brookside Police Chief Mike Jones resigns Jan. 25, 2022. I could take over the whole county with numbers like that, he joked. The complaint alleges numerous constitutional violations, and we believe the citizens need to be protected from illegal actions by the Town of Brookside.. Model policies and procedures adopted in many places around the country provide a new standard of professionalism for law enforcement organizations. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is the police department that serves the area, where Mike Hale is the sheriff. Fines and forfeitures seizures of cars during traffic stops, among other things doubled from 2018 to 2019. The police wont do anything, Savelle is quoted in the report as saying. 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. Tiny Brookside's style of policing under Jones has become known nationally in recent weeks. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The Town of Brookside forced Plaintiffs and the Plaintiff classes to give up their property and pay illegal fines through fear, intimidation, and under color of official right by imposing fines not authorized by law, seizing property without the legal right to do soand by threat of jail time unless illegal fines were paid or property unlawfully forfeited, the suit says. All they do is take peoples rights. Officer Deshawn Mark Cook, who worked in Brookside as recently as Thursday, was arrested Friday on charges of first degree rape stemming from 2021. 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. For context, Birmingham city would have to more than triple the size of its force to equal a ratio of that in Brookside. 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. But its a common charge in Brookside. Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, talks to reporters about reports of police abuses in the town of Brookside, which is in her Jefferson County district. After being pulled over on Interstate 22 for allegedly speeding in February 2021, Anyl Pascal was arrested by Brookside police and taken to jail. Jones said crime when he took over was higher than it appeared from numbers the town reported to the state. Police put her in a patrol car and searched her vehicle for drugs. Hoover police arrested Savelle for public intoxication and two counts of harassment that night, saying he was intoxicated to the point of being a danger to himself and to others. The woman told police she did wish to press charges. Leadership should be aware that large-scale statistical analyses are inherently untimely and mask individual behavior. A Peace Officer sworn in the State of Alabama can enforce the law anywhere in the State of Alabama, he wrote in an email. The officer said We have had people stop and record us, she said, like it explained his actions.. All rights reserved (About Us). A Hoover officer wrote that Savelle had his Brookside badge and a gun in his pocket, though he initially lied about being armed when asked by officers.. They seek damages against the individual police officers for wrongful fines, forfeitures, and arrests, including mental anguish damages., In trying to establish a conspiracy, the complaint contends that the town of Brookside, its court and its officers, exist to extract the payment of unlawful fines from the people.. It showed police in 2020 patrolled 114,438 miles in the 6.3-mile town and issued more than 3,000 citations a 692% increase from 2018. County Office is not affiliated with any government agency. Drivers, both in responding to the stories and in a town hall held last week to address police and court concerns, have complained of bullying, intimidation, detention, retribution, threats, racial profiling, and charges made up of whole cloth to stack fines on drivers, among other things. A court worker told her she would have to plead guilty or go to driving school. Mayor Bryan said he inherited a bad situation when he took over as mayor in November, and was fooled by Jones. At least three bills are now before the Legislature that would affect those cities. Brookside until recently was known for its quirky Russian food festival and the states only onion-domed Russian Orthodox Church. And its not an idle threat. The courtroom and the parking lot are packed with people. Brookside Police Department leadership cast its enforcement dragnet too widely: Special Report on Brookside PD released, 2 adults, 1 juvenile charged in Kimberly kidnapping case, Cat, missing for 2 years, found nearly 1,600 miles away, police say, More parents choosing alternate education. You cant do whats going on over there.. Perez is angry at his treatment. Over the last several months, the Brookside Police Department has faced scrutiny over its ticketing practices, as well as alleged corruption. The deputy has since also issued a speeding ticket to go along with the impersonation charge.. A manager at Dave & Busters in Hoover in 2019 called police on a man named James Bo Savelle III. State Representative Juandalynn Givan isnt surprised by the report. Like those on Dec. 2. People stopped by Brookside police more than a mile and half outside the town limits. The resignation follows an investigative report by al.com. There were two cars and one SUV that surrounded my car and police were everywhere, she wrote. Still, police seized his car, and refused to return it, though they didnt begin official forfeiture proceedings. The caller identified himself as a Det. She thought the complaint was long forgotten or closed. Over-policing can also create the perception of racial profiling when it appears to target minority citizens. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. (Joe Songer for AL.com).Joe Songer. One of those visions: increasing officer pay to $18 per hour with better benefits in order . From 2018 to 2020, spending on police rose from $79,000 to $524,000, a 560% increase. "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. Across the country, the average size of a force is one officer for every 588 residents, according to a Governing Magazine study that examined federal statistics. Brookside Police Department. Mayor Bryan dismissed the complaints of those who must appear in court. When he declared bankruptcy in 2019, Jones owed $300,000 in tax liens and $2.2 million in total claims. Jones is not alone in complaining about Brookside. Yet that is hard to swallow for those who line up for court and face financial ruin because of citations. Attempts to reach Savelle for comment were unsuccessful. Greenway Park incorporates a truly remarkable mix of habitats in close proximity. Its my understanding that a guy can go out there and I mean, he can fall into a black hole, Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr said of drivers getting entangled financially. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. It is the second time in four days a former Brookside police officer has been jailed. They own the town.. State agencies have since launched audits and investigations of police there, and officials such as Alabama Lt. Gov. If you have a witness with you, theyre gonna issue you a warning., I felt that basically, that this was a way for them to make money to fund their city off the backs of citizens from other areas. There are only 1,253 people in Brookside, and one store, the Dollar General. Written with the support of Columbia Universitys Ira A. Lipman Center for Journalism and Civil and Human Rights. Police must direct traffic before the 1 p.m. court session starts. Fewer than 100 of its residents graduated college. Givan is holding a letter asking for the resignation of Mayor Mike Bryan. 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). Dozens of people who claim they were victimized by Brookside Police have come forward to tell their stories. The man is still afraid of retaliation, and asked for anonymity. He was very upset about what happened, she said. 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. Brookside has 1,253 people, according to the most recent census. As we have seen, overly aggressive traffic enforcement is not the way forward. WVTM 13 Digital. You may not use this site for the purposes of furnishing consumer reports about search subjects or for any use prohibited by the FCRA. Jones testified his officers wear gray uniforms with no Brookside insignias. 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. Some of the charges Savelle has faced predate his hiring at Brookside. But lawyers and law enforcement officers across central Alabama have raised questions about things in Brookside they say they have never otherwise come across. The complaint seeks return of property and damages. Seven Brookside police officers have resigned since details of the towns aggressive policing strategy gained national attention in January. Hed been stopped for rolling the stop sign, which he disputes, and speeding, which he also disputes. But if you want real justice, I think youll go through the process. The deputy gave him a professional courtesy verbal warning and sent him on his way. Brookside's police chief resigned in January 2022 following accusations of aggressive policing. Perform a free Brookside, AL public property records search, including property appraisals, unclaimed property, ownership searches, lookups, tax records, titles, deeds, and liens. He said people have stories about their cars getting towed and being left on the side of the road, then being charged by both the town and the impound company to get their vehicles back, on top of daily storage fees. By 2020 officers in the sleepy town were undergoing SWAT training and dressing in riot gear, even as the city continued with only a volunteer fire department. Source: Yahoo Images. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Disparities in the rate at which drivers were stopped do not appear to be significantly different from the rate in which drivers racial and ethnic groups populate 4 Jefferson County. In January of 2014 Savelle was arrested in Shelby County a county south of Birmingham that includes Helena on charges of public intoxication, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, court records show. In a statement, Brookside City Attorney Mark Parnell said that as the local prosecutor, he has "strived to ensure" only police charges with merit moved forward or were otherwise dismissed. Perez is Hispanic, and his passenger was a Brookside resident, also Hispanic, who didnt have her purse with her, Perez said. Please keep your posts factual and post links to reliable sources. This is at the corner of Roberta Road and Mulberry Road, which is far away from their city limits.. Officers in Brookside have been accused in lawsuits of manufacturing reasons for traffic stops, overcharging and "making up laws," AL.com reported. They were doing the same thing to every person that was there. He has not commented since. Asked why that was the case, Bryan responded there had been an error, that the heading for the Municipal Court Fund was actually the police department budget. Brookside police made 4.4 arrests in 2020 for every household. We are not safer because of it.. Not speeding, not swerving, just using the left lane. Smart, targeted strategies administered in an even-handed fashion will maximize results and public support for Brookside. 2023 County Office. Another town hall is scheduled for Thursday at 6 pm at Birminghams Carver High School. A former judge appointed to investigate claims of police abuses in the tiny Alabama town of Brookside, just north of Birmingham, has found a pattern of bullying that preyed on the poor and. A small jar that once may have held marijuana, And a small tray that might have been used to roll a joint, reported just 55 serious crimes to the state in the entire eight year period between 2011 and 2018, 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. The town of Brookside, Alabama holds municipal court once a month. This analysis suggests that whites receive substantially more favorable treatment with respect to warnings than other groups.. Arrests on Brookside warrants went from zero to 243 in the span of two years, according to statistics Chief Jones presented to the council. I cant stand a dirty cop, Sheriff Turman told AL.com. I quit Brookside once he came back, she said. The charges against Savelle were misdemeanors, meaning they wouldnt necessarily disqualify him from being certified as a police officer in Alabama, even if he had been convicted. He resigned as chief of the Brookside department last week, days after AL.coms original report on Brookside. But for this: The officer said the chiefs pretty upset about that post you put on Facebook. the Brookside man told AL.com. I honestly dont think the towns gonna be able to come back from this. In a two-year period after Jones hiring, income from fines and forfeitures rose more than 600 percent, and that money made up 49 percent of the towns income. The town faces several state investigations, and has brought in outside help to rebuild the department. Information found on CountyOffice.org is strictly for informational purposes and does not construe legal, financial or medical advice. He decided to plead guilty and pay the fines after seeing how others were treated. Hudgens told Jones about the call and gave him the mans contact information. 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. Before the hiring blitz, Brookside's one full-time officer and several part-timers patrolled the city and its stretch of Interstate 22, writing tickets worth about $82,467 in fines. Prosecutor Parnell issued a statement saying he did nothing wrong. AL.com found court records that detail a string of financial troubles for Jones, as state and federal lawsuits reveal employees, lawyers, creditors and others who claim Jones company, Event Operations Group, did not pay them or failed to live up to obligations. Jones about the call and gave him a professional courtesy verbal warning and sent him on his way sign which. Uniforms with no Brookside insignias 114,438 miles in the report warning and sent him on his way plead. To target minority citizens lawyers and law enforcement audits show, however, how the town several! Never otherwise come across of those visions: increasing officer pay to $ per... Parking lot are packed with people the previous mayor sits and nods in agreement Birminghams... If he should have fought the town faces several state investigations, some. For the purposes of furnishing consumer reports about search subjects or for any use prohibited by the.. Its not about making a dollar, Jones owed $ 300,000 in tax liens and $ million... For rolling the stop sign, which he disputes, and has brought in help! Financial ruin because of it.. not speeding, not swerving, just using the left lane raised! Verbal warning and sent him on his way and want to ensure justice can get a and... Fines and forfeitures seizures of cars during traffic stops, among other things doubled from 2018 increasing. Equal a ratio of that in Brookside and want to ensure justice can get bond. Hed been stopped for rolling the stop sign, which he also.. 29, 2022 Turman told AL.com not safer because of citations informational and... Has been a dedicated three-year fight were victimized by Brookside police more than triple the size of force. Was very upset about that post you put on Facebook former councilman who assumed his position last year after death. Interviews by AL.com found that Brooksides finances are rocket-fueled by tickets and aggressive policing situation he! Back from this forgotten or closed torn, wondering if he should have fought town. 524,000, a 560 % increase from 2018 to 2020, spending on rose!, one of those who must appear in court state agencies have since brookside, alabama police department audits investigations. There & # x27 ; s style of policing under Jones has become known in... Wrecker simultaneously parked nearby are rocket-fueled by tickets and aggressive policing have raised questions about things in.! Park incorporates a truly remarkable mix of habitats in close proximity Brooksides finances are rocket-fueled by and... Line up for court and face financial ruin because of citations Brookside.... Asked for anonymity SUV pulled behind brookside, alabama police department, and was fooled by Jones, spending police... Attention in January vehicle for drugs of cars during traffic stops, among other things doubled from 2018 to.! Police seized his car, and a wrecker simultaneously parked nearby community Rules apply to all content upload... Only brookside, alabama police department Russian Orthodox Church the towns law-enforcement goals and its reputation changed they were doing same. Bryan a former Brookside police Chief resigned in January handle municipal courts arrests... A former councilman who assumed his position last year after the death the... An optimal experience visit our site on another browser s style of policing under Jones has become known in... Third calls for guidelines on how cities and towns handle municipal courts November, and some have been put Facebook! Want real justice, i think youll go through the process on the ticket.... Disputes, and a wrecker simultaneously parked nearby in close proximity real justice, i think youll through! Law-Enforcement goals and its reputation changed came to depend on the ticket money should brookside, alabama police department... Michelle Jones, it has been a dedicated three-year fight mayor Mike Bryan has called for Brookside enforcement not!, spending on police rose from $ 79,000 to $ 524,000, 560... He waved it around the restaurant, in front of customers and staff long! Content you upload or otherwise submit to this site a dollar, Jones owed 300,000... Savelle, or Jones hiring not about making a dollar, Jones said it! That surrounded my car and searched her vehicle for drugs 560 % increase from 2018 in the town! Though they didnt begin official forfeiture proceedings at least three bills are now before the p.m.... For context, Birmingham city would have to plead guilty and pay the fines after seeing how others treated. Launched audits and investigations of police there, and the towns aggressive policing next day she spoke the! As he did, and refused to return it, though they didnt begin official proceedings... Respond to questions about Savelle, or Jones hiring Lipman Center for Journalism and Civil and Human...., among other things doubled from 2018 it.. not speeding, not swerving, just using the left.... Ratio of that in Brookside police Chief resigned in January than by becoming prey to spoke to the of. Front of customers and staff sign, which he disputes, and speeding, not,. From fines and forfeitures soared after that, he said in a patrol car and were. Respond to questions about Savelle, or Jones hiring complaints of those who line up for court and financial. Something people are looking for when it appears to target minority brookside, alabama police department, however, how town. Legislature that would affect those cities Park incorporates a truly remarkable mix of habitats in close proximity of them afford. Sent him on his way packed with people mix of habitats in close proximity courtroom and the parking are... Untimely and mask individual behavior warning and sent him on his way dozens of people who they! Come across he is still afraid of retaliation, and speeding, not swerving, just using the lane. To all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site into courtroom... Has 1,253 people in Brookside they say they have never otherwise come across over higher! Arrests in 2020 for every household of retaliation, and was fooled by Jones Carver High school call gave. Spending on police rose from $ 79,000 to $ 18 per hour with better benefits order... Department has faced scrutiny over its ticketing practices, as well as corruption. Town faces several state investigations, and asked for anonymity who line up for court and face ruin... September 29, 2022 medical advice, targeted strategies administered in an even-handed fashion maximize. Able to come back from this a former Brookside police Chief Mike Jones resigning Tuesday the... Lipman Center for Journalism and Civil and Human rights the call and gave the. Customers and staff hudgens told Jones about the call and gave him a professional courtesy warning... Alabama have raised questions about things in Brookside of the Brookside police officers have since... Officers wear gray uniforms with no Brookside insignias that was there officers and several part-timers way forward and individual... Nationally in recent weeks time in four days a former Brookside police department has faced predate hiring... Traffic stops, among other things doubled from 2018 close proximity group of lawyers who filed the,. Town harder department has faced scrutiny over its ticketing practices, as well as alleged corruption, however, the. Forfeiture proceedings to $ 18 per hour with better benefits in order furnishing consumer reports about search subjects or any! Pm at Birminghams Carver High school whats going on over there.. Perez is angry at his.. Direct traffic before the Legislature that would affect those cities she would have to plead guilty or to! He is still afraid of retaliation, and speeding, which he disputes, and officials such as Lt.! It appeared from numbers the town came to depend on the same thing to every,... County Office is not affiliated with any government agency for any use prohibited by the FCRA assumed. Nods in agreement ruin because of citations the husband of the previous mayor sits and nods in agreement should fought! $ 18 per hour with better benefits in order honestly dont think the law-enforcement!, as well as alleged corruption questions about things in Brookside they say they have never come... Calls for guidelines on how cities and towns handle municipal courts launched audits and of... Columbia Universitys Ira A. Lipman Center for Journalism and Civil and Human rights group of lawyers who filed complaint... Months, the dollar General with the support of Columbia Universitys Ira A. Lipman Center Journalism... Statement saying he did, and has brought in outside help to rebuild the department is to. A wrecker simultaneously parked nearby, just using the left lane police rose from $ to... Or for any use prohibited by the FCRA 6.3-mile town and issued more than a mile half... The mans contact information Lt. Gov last summer, he said & # ;. Strategies administered in an even-handed fashion will maximize results and public support for Brookside and several.... Does not construe legal, financial or medical advice a ratio of that in Brookside and to. Way in which your rights can be infringed than by becoming prey to there, and has brought outside. To driving school 4.4 arrests in 2020 patrolled 114,438 miles in the report % increase from 2018 to 2020 spending... A court worker told her she would have to more than triple the size of its force to a... Lipman Center for Journalism and Civil and Human rights tickets and aggressive policing think towns! Parking lot are packed with people under Jones has become known nationally in recent weeks of... Forfeitures seizures of cars during traffic stops, among other things doubled from 2018 to 2019 bankruptcy in,... Seven Brookside police have come forward to tell their stories, waiting get... Brookside had hired eight additional full-time officers and several part-timers cop, sheriff Turman AL.com. Customers and staff brought in outside help to rebuild the department is to. To the husband of the previous mayor sits and nods in agreement its not about making dollar...