Most of the time people get stopped, theyre going to get a ticket. Jones was stopped on April 12 by a Covington County deputy after being clocked driving 78 mph in a 55 zone on Alabama 55 south. Dawson argued in a lawsuit against Brookside and Chief Jones that Brookside has continuously used the false left lane violation as a reason to stop and detain hundreds of motorists. 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. After I told him that I would not, he reported that they have two warrants for my arrest. 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. Jones testified his officers wear gray uniforms with no Brookside insignias. 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. He said hed like to see even more growth in revenue from fines and forfeitures. 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. The courtroom and the parking lot are packed with people. Brookside officials this afternoon said in a statement that the Tahoe is registered in Jones name and does not belong to Brookside. She turned on her lights, according to her lawsuit, because of the approaching darkness. Additional Information. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Police must direct traffic before the 1 p.m. court session starts. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is the police department that serves the area, where Mike Hale is the sheriff. Brookside has 1,253 people, according to the most recent census. Savelle was in the program for up-and-coming police officers in Helena, while Mike Jones was a patrol officer there, he said. In the meantime, well continue to make good on our promises to reform policing in Brookside, said Mayor Bryan on Wednesday. He was released after posting $20,000 bail. He wanted to speak to someone who could take his badge.. But he also worries for relatives and employees who live in Brookside. Periodic review of bodycam video can be used to monitor and investigate possible profiling or other alleged misconduct. It is the second time in four days a former Brookside police officer has been jailed. Yet that is hard to swallow for those who line up for court and face financial ruin because of citations. We dont have a law that says if you dont have ID, you go to jail, he said. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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 and members of the town council complained of. . Even the claims of retaliation for social media posts are not unusual in Brookside. The town announced his departure in a statement, but would not comment further. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. He was very ugly from the start.. I could take over the whole county with numbers like that, he joked. Name Brookside Police Department Suggest Edit Address 208 Main Street Brookside , Alabama , 35036 Phone 205-674-9275 Fax 205-674-9547 Brookside Police Department Details Type He said he also represented a woman who was stopped in 2019 for driving in the left lane of I-22, which was not technically a crime, and accused police of using a "false left-lane violation" to ensnare motorists. 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. 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. Arrest powers are not confined to city limits or jurisdictional boundaries except within the State of Alabama.. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The resignations include former chief Mike Jones, who built the tiny towns department from a one-man agency in 2018 to one that, according to data the town provided to AL.com in response to a public records request, included 13 full time officers and two reserves. Ive never seen a possession case split like that, he said. Model policies and procedures adopted in many places around the country provide a new standard of professionalism for law enforcement organizations. If we have to come get ya, well make you famous!, When you look at their Facebook pages its almost like they are bullies. Popularity:#11 of 45 Police Departments in Jefferson County#69 of 565 Police Departments in Alabama#2,237 in Police Departments. He resigned Jan. 25, six days after AL.com detailed how the department preyed on drivers, and came to use fines and forfeitures to supply half the tiny towns income. Officers, dressed completely in dark, unmarked uniforms approached her, and one accused her of flickering her lights to warn others of their presence, her suit alleges. She complained directly to then-Brookside Police Chief Mike Jones. 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. A 2019 report in Governing magazine found that fines and forfeitures account for more than 10 percent of general fund revenues for nearly 600 jurisdictions throughout the country, and in jurisdictions where fines accounted for more than 20 percent, the local median household income was less than $40,000. However, our analysis did find significant evidence of selective enforcement with respect to warning tickets. The town of Brookside, Alabama holds municipal court once a month. 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. See also: Savelle among those sued by preacher who claimed Brookside revenge. I think it could be more.. Mayor Bryan said he inherited a bad situation when he took over as mayor in November, and was fooled by Jones. State agencies have since launched audits and investigations of police there, and officials such as Alabama Lt. Gov. Yet the Brookside stories come at an alarming rate. Subscribe to our WBRC newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email. As we have seen, overly aggressive traffic enforcement is not the way forward. This is at the corner of Roberta Road and Mulberry Road, which is far away from their city limits.. 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. Careful examination of individual officer behavior is also important. Current Mayor Mike Bryan has called for Brookside police to stop patrolling Interstate 22, except for wrecks and emergencies. The caller identified himself as a Det. Erik Ortiz is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital focusing on racial injustice and social inequality. Judge Wooten said he would not resign, and referred questions to the prosecutor. AL.com also sought connection through Brookside officials. All rights reserved (About Us). You may not use this site for the purposes of furnishing consumer reports about search subjects or for any use prohibited by the FCRA. 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.. "It's the wild, Wild West, and they created their own wild, Wild West.". Brumlows uncle, Jeff Brumlow, is the longtime prosecutor and city attorney for the city of Alabaster, and a GOP candidate for Shelby County district judge. 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. 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. That meeting will be at 6 p.m. at the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office Training Center in Fultondale, 3500 Happy Hollow Lane. It claims those involved violated the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and the Hobbs Act which makes it illegal to obstruct interstate commerce by robbery or extortion. 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. At least eight officers, including Jones, have resigned or been let go since. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. The Justice Department is urging a federal judge to let a class-action lawsuit go forward against an Alabama town accused of policing for profit with excessive fines and aggressive enforcement of local laws. Former Brookside Police Chief Mike Jones was arrested May 2, 2022 in Covington County, Ala., charged with impersonating a police officer. Police Trap, she posted in June of 2019. But if you want real justice, I think youll go through the process. It parked a riot control vehicle townspeople call it a tank outside the municipal complex and community center. On the other end was a caller IDd as coming from the Brookside Town Hall, she said. 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.. He informed me that my case was never closed, said Jones, who lives in Forestdale near Birmingham. He feels the police saw him as prey, and treated him as such. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Sheriff Pettway gaped at the Brookside ratio. Since this involves a personnel matter, the Town has no further comment. 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. 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. Fifth, the town needs help in fighting drug trafficking. 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. 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. 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. He is still torn, wondering if he should have fought the town harder. Town leadership should be proactive in providing oversight, accountability, and checks and balances in the Departments management and ensure that police operations comply with regulatory, judicial, ethical, and financial safeguards. "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. The town of Brookside confirmed that Chief Mike Jones resigned from his position in a brief press release Tuesday afternoon. Tiny Brookside's style of policing under Jones has become known nationally in recent weeks. 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. Savelle was second in command at Brookside, which came under fire two weeks ago when an AL.com story revealed a department so intent on ticketing and criminalizing motorists that by 2020 it came to draw half the towns revenue from fines and forfeitures. 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. It frightened her, and led to more trouble. Find 12 external resources related to Brookside Police Department. Ramon Perez felt that way as well, sitting in the courtroom and hearing defendants plead to the same charges over and over. In a report published by AL.com, figures pointed to half of the town's revenue had come from an increase in fines and forfeitures, including officers taking property during traffic stops. What I noticed the pattern to be among us is this: If you are in the car by yourself, youre gonna get a ticket, she said. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Jones built Brooksides police department from a sleepy, one-man agency to an intimidating force of 14 between 2018 and this year. "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. She vividly recalls the events of that night and the following day. They were doing the same thing to every person that was there. But Brookside revenues from fines and forfeitures soared after that, and the towns law-enforcement goals and its reputation changed. Brookside officers have been accused in lawsuits of fabricating charges, using racist language and making up laws to stack counts on passersby. About a year ago, the former head of the Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police received several complaints about the Brookside Police Department. Police must direct traffic before the 1 p.m. court session starts. Fallout over the Brookside revelations continues. Bill Dawson, a lawyer who has represented several clients in Brookside, said defendants have faced possession charges for a joint, with paraphernalia charges tacked on for the paper it was rolled in. Seven Brookside police officers have resigned since details of the towns aggressive policing strategy gained national attention in January. "Their whole financial existence starts to spiral, and it was all over a light on their car not working.". 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. 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. But Jones was not the Chief at Brookside when he held himself out to be, using deception to disrespect that young deputy. Police must direct traffic before the 1 p.m. court session starts. The police have ordered vehicles towed for lack of insurance, while ignoring owners' efforts to show insurance documentation. 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. I saw him and we looked eye to eye, the Chelsea business owner said. Because people overwhelmed by debt have been shown to turn to crime to pay their fines an argument can be made that this kind of policing creates crime, Crowder said. Theres no way I was going to run that stop sign.. 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 news outlet found that Jones positioned officers to stop motorists so aggressively that income from traffic fines and forfeitures rose 640 percent from 2018 to 2020, from about $82,000 to more than $610,000. Detective Johnson had called and asked that I come to the Brookside Police Department to talk to them. 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. 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. Source: Yahoo Images. (Joe Songer for AL.com).Joe Songer. They've also been accused of using racist language in a community that is majority white, but also has a Black population of nearly 25 percent and a small but growing Latino population. Ainsworth, also a Republican, told AL.com that his office would look at legislative options to determine how to prevent towns from taking advantage of drivers passing through on highways, a problem lawmakers acknowledged is happening across the state. 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. He has not commented since. And 99% of them are lying.. They are sworn Law Enforcement Officers certified by the Alabama Peace Officers Standards Training (sic) Commission. I can stand a thief better than a dirty cop. 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. As Brookside's earnings draw further scrutiny, with Givan planning a town hall Tuesday to allow people who say they've been exploited by the police force to come forward, advocacy organizations are emphasizing that it is no outlier and highlights how across the country, traffic fines and related fees are being used to fill municipal coffers at the expense of people who are often financially struggling and from communities of color. To all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site feels the police saw him and looked... 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