"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. Unsure what was happening, Harris dialed 911. 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. If we have to come get ya, well make you famous!, When you look at their Facebook pages its almost like they are bullies. From 2018 to 2020, spending on police rose from $79,000 to $524,000, a 560% increase. Sheriff Pettway gaped at the Brookside ratio. 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. Theres no way I was going to run that stop sign.. Traffic tickets, and criminalizing those who passed through, became the citys leading industry. She agrees that there was selective enforcement. 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. They were doing the same thing to every person that was there. 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 Brookside Police Department's practices include stacking charges so that a single violation results in a handful of charges, with corresponding fines, fees and court costs for each. IE 11 is not supported. The town's median household income is less than $40,000, according to demographic data. The motive was to generate revenue for Brookside.. Stephanie Franklin, a Jefferson County employee, told AL.com she was a passenger in a car stopped last year for an expired tag. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, and GOP Lt. Gov. Officers in Brookside have been accused in lawsuits of manufacturing reasons for traffic stops, overcharging and "making up laws," AL.com reported. Brookside Police Department of Brookside, AL spotted in the Jefferson County Sheriff Department District at Roberta Road and Cherry Avenue., And in July, Brookside Police Department of Brookside, AL operating outside its city limits. Total town income more than doubled from 2018 to 2020 from $582,000 to more than $1.2 million as fines and forfeitures rose 640%. But he also worries for relatives and employees who live in Brookside. On the other end was a caller IDd as coming from the Brookside Town Hall, she said. He waved it around the restaurant, in front of customers and staff. The affidavit says Jones told the Covington deputy he was the chief in Brookside, a town a couple hundred miles north, just past Birmingham. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. State agents last week began an inquiry and audit into the Brookside Police Department to find out whether it and its officers complied with state laws and regulations, according to a statement from Chief R. Alan Benefield, executive secretary of the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission. 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.. Perez is angry at his treatment. "What if $150 is the cost of choosing between feeding my child, getting their medicine or paying this ticket?" He is still torn, wondering if he should have fought the town harder. Since this involves a personnel matter, the Town has no further comment. Jones said crime when he took over was higher than it appeared from numbers the town reported to the state. The conclusion reads: We conclude our report by recommending that new Brookside Police Department leadership adopt specific policies aimed at targeting its law enforcement efforts in more strategic ways. Some of the charges Savelle has faced predate his hiring at Brookside. It ultimately became the reason Hudgens left her job. In his call to Jones this week, the investigator said he could not tell me anything because of the ongoing investigation, Jones said. The interim chief and Town leaders announced reforms within the police department in February 2022. Citizen and officer safety, and protection of constitutional rights, should be among the prime goals of such training. Police advocates, including Alabama Rep. Allen Treadaway, a Republican from Morris who was an assistant police chief at Birmingham and a Fraternal Order of Police leader, said a person with such a past should never have been hired as a police officer at all. And it broke her heart, it broke my heart.. "There is no coming back from this. The city is facing at least five federal lawsuits related to its policing. Seven Brookside police officers have resigned since details of the towns aggressive policing strategy gained national attention in January. Even the claims of retaliation for social media posts are not unusual in Brookside. BROOKSIDE, Ala. (WBRC) - WBRC confirmed Mike Jones resigned as Brookside Police Chief. McDonald, the towns first dispatcher, said he too found Bryans statement lacking. Savelle pulled out a Brookside Police Department badge before Hoover officers arrived, according to the report that cited witnesses and the presence of cameras. The issue gained prominence in the wake of the 2014 fatal police shooting of Michael Brown, a Black teenager, in Ferguson, Missouri, when a report by a St. Louis-area public defender group found that Black drivers in Ferguson were more likely to be stopped by police and local courts were abusing their power by charging high fines and fees for nonviolent offenses, sometimes leading to arrests when they went unpaid. The caller identified himself as a Det. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The town of Brookside confirmed that Chief Mike Jones resigned from his position in a brief press release Tuesday afternoon. 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. Find agency contact, demographics, type, population served and more. He saw so many people trying to park in the grassy field outside the municipal building that police had to direct traffic. AL.com story revealed a department so intent on ticketing and criminalizing motorists, arrested Savelle for public intoxication and two counts of harassment that night. People stand in line, waiting to get into the courtroom. (Joe Songer for AL.com).Joe Songer. ABC 33/40s Cynthia Gould reported at the time. Ive been irritated in these comments that come from Mike Bryan, McDonald said. Hudgens told Jones about the call and gave him the mans contact information. The transformation of Brookside's police department began in 2018, under the direction of long-serving and now late Mayor Roger McCondichie. Despite that, the Shelby County case was dropped without explanation under the condition that he pay $100. By 2020 Brookside made more misdemeanor arrests than it has residents. The towns own investigator said police under Jones sought out those who they believed could not put up a fight poor people in particular, and those who had previous run-ins with the law. CNN's Nick Valencia. At Brookside municipal court, the courtroom and the parking lot are packed with people. A report quoted in the suit claimed she tighten (sic) arm muscles from getting handcuff (sic).. It is what happened after the stop that is most concerning to him. 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. The officer said We have had people stop and record us, she said, like it explained his actions.. I could take over the whole county with numbers like that, he joked. Ainsworth called for a financial audit by the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts and vowed the state would investigate Brookside and towns like it. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. In fact the woman her name is redacted in the report told police she turned around and hit him after Savelle snuck up behind her and grabbed her buttocks.. Eventually she was given an inhaler and treated by paramedics. 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. Monday afternoon former Birmingham Police Officer Montague Minnifield became at least the eighth person to sue Brookside over its police and court systems. Will Ainsworth requested a state audit, and amid calls for state and federal investigations. I just knew that I did not want to be part of a workplace that did such low-down things.. When he got to court Dec. 2, he saw scores of people just like him lining up to stand before Judge Jim Wooten, complaining of penny-ante crimes and harassment by officers. Not for speeding, or running a stop sign, or any violation. Because I am a police officer.. For Michelle Jones, it has been a dedicated three-year fight. She argued that she only drove in the left lane to pass other vehicles, and her ticket on May 26, 2019 came five months before Alabamas Anti-Road Rage Act, a law making it illegal to drive in the left lane of an interstate for more than a mile and a half, went into effect. The deputy has since also issued a speeding ticket to go along with the impersonation charge.. BROOKSIDE, Ala. ( WIAT) On Thursday night, Alabama Rep. Juandalynn Givan will hold another town hall meeting as she works to take action against alleged illegal ticketing that has taken place in the Brookside Police Department. She spelled it out in her complaint to the AGs office and in notes to the Jefferson County Sheriffs Department, county commissioners and others. The The Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts released an audit into Brookside in the Spring of 2022. Former Brookside Police Chief Mike Jones, in a photo taken by WAAO News' Blaine Wilson, after turning himself in. In the second town hall meeting hosted by Rep. Juandalynn Givan and Jefferson County Sheriff Mark Pettway, attendees addressed more concerns with the city's police. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ( WIAT) As the Brookside Police Department debacle continues, the call for Mayor Mike Bryan and other leaders to resign still rings among those who have been victims by the city's officers. Fallout over the Brookside revelations continues. I feel bad for those guys who struggle, Perez said. We had no knowledge of Mike Jones whereabouts after his resignation January 25, Mayor Mike Bryan said. Another would bar police from using unmarked cars for traffic stops. The town now faces 13 lawsuits. John Walker was stopped in Brookside for following too closely. BROOKSIDE, Ala. (WBRC) - We're learning more about complaints against the Brookside Police Department, this time from other members of law enforcement. There is no trust," Representative Juandalynn Givan said. The towns administrative expenditures rose 40% and overall spending jumped 112%, from $553,000 in 2018 to $1.2 million in 2020. 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.. The officer went on to say any more backlash like that towards his police department and itll be far worse than a ticket., I just stared at him, the man said. 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. Judge Wooten said he would not resign, and referred questions to the prosecutor. Its not about making a dollar, Jones said. He decided to plead guilty and pay the fines after seeing how others were treated. The conclusion reads: Savelle was 32 at the time of his Hoover arrest, and was shown to have previous arrests for public intoxication, DUI, public lewdness, as well as multiple drug charges, the Hoover report said. Address, Phone Number, and Fax Number for Brookside Police Department, a Police Department, at Main Street, Brookside AL. (Joe Songer for al.com).Joe Songer. It may cost some money to go through that process, he said. Those charges include possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, according to state records. Information found on CountyOffice.org is strictly for informational purposes and does not construe legal, financial or medical advice. A Brookside officer ticketed Brumlow under Alabama code section 32-5-77, which her lawyers contend does not contain a crime. 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. The AGs office this week would not confirm or deny to AL.com the existence of any case involving Brookside. He was very ugly from the start.. County Office is not affiliated with any government agency. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. In 2018, reporters for ABC 33/40 said they asked the former mayor of Brookside about Jones financial problems when he was hired. But not in the courtroom. Its more important now than ever before that law enforcement maintain high levels of professionalism and integrity, he said. He has not commented since. A department of nine officers in a 1,253-person town is far larger than average. Alabama state rep. calls for Brookside mayor's resignation amid ticketing scandal, told the NBC affiliate WVTM in Birmingham, wake of the 2014 fatal police shooting of Michael Brown, Attorney describes 'debtors' prison' scheme targeting poor minorities. Suggest Listing Second, the town would likely benefit from a relationship with a research organization to provide annual information on the existence of any red flags detected in statistical trends and patterns. About a year ago, the former head of the Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police received several complaints about the Brookside Police Department. Brookside, just north of Birmingham, already faces at least 10 lawsuits about its policing. Police must direct traffic before the 1 p.m. court session starts. 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. I think its one of those situations that could possibly bring in the feds with some oversight, he said. "Brookside will continue to cooperate with all appropriate authorities to ensure that a full investigation of these issues are completed," he said. It is unclear whether the resignations were forced, or if the officers chose to leave on their own, or a mixture of both. Mayor Mike Bryan late Wednesday said there was no conspiracy, The Town has just been made aware of this amended lawsuit, Bryan told AL.com. I know that.. Because the Town is launching the independent inquiry, the February 3 and 10 monthly court sessions are postponed until a date to be determined. Former Brookside Police Chief Mike Jones was arrested May 2, 2022 in Covington County, Ala., charged with impersonating a police officer. You may not use this site for the purposes of furnishing consumer reports about search subjects or for any use prohibited by the FCRA. Brookside Police Department Contact Information Address, Phone Number, and Fax Number for Brookside Police Department, a Police Department, at Main Street, Brookside AL. In 2020 they came to $610,000. Fairness and real justice, I believe, is something people are looking for when it comes to law enforcement. 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. Mr. Bryan, as un-involved as he sounds, is as culpable as the others.. (Joe Songer for AL.com).Joe Songer. Find Brookside residential property records including property owners, sales & transfer history, deeds & titles, property taxes, valuations, land, zoning records & more. The town of 1,253 just north of Birmingham reported just 55 serious crimes to the state in the entire eight year period between 2011 and 2018 none of them homicide or rape. 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. Attempts to reach Savelle for comment were unsuccessful. There were two cars and one SUV that surrounded my car and police were everywhere, she wrote. His statement said he is not taking questions. The courtroom and the parking lot are packed with people. Thats why I hesitated to fight it. 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. They would not share the footage. She set out to challenge it. This is shocking, said Crowder. Brookside officials this afternoon said in a statement that the Tahoe is registered in Jones name and does not belong to Brookside. The suit also names 23 current and former officers as individual defendants. The lowest-paid officers made $12 an hour. But Brookside revenues from fines and forfeitures soared after that, and the towns law-enforcement goals and its reputation changed. Police must direct traffic before the 1 p.m. court session starts. They gave me a ticket for running a stop sign. Most of the time people get stopped, theyre going to get a ticket. Type: [Montgomery, Alabama] Former Brookside Police Chief Dennis Ray McCoy, 53, of Dora, was recently convicted of several charges stemming from investigation by the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI), including using his official position for personal gain, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, obtaining criminal offender record information under false pretenses, and computer tampering. About Us Contact Us She is unsure if he called the man. Brookside police made 4.4 arrests in 2020 for every household. 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