They would not share the footage. held the first town hall, in which 200 people gathered, 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. BROOKSIDE, Ala. - For the first time since bombshell reports regarding practices from Brookside Police department surfaced, the City Council held their monthly meeting Monday night.During the meeting, Interim Police Chief Henry Irby addressed the public on his vision for the department going forward. Information found on CountyOffice.org is strictly for informational purposes and does not construe legal, financial or medical advice. Brookside officials this afternoon said in a statement that the Tahoe is registered in Jones name and does not belong to Brookside. Dawson also represents Victoria Brumlow, a young woman who like hundreds more was stopped on I-22 and ticketed for driving on the left lane of the interstate. It parked a riot control vehicle townspeople call it a tank outside the municipal complex and community center. That contributed a 14% chunk of the citys total income, a number that would be considered high in much of America. And theyre saying they were nowhere near Brookside.. In 2020 they came to $610,000. It was nearing dusk, and as she drove into the neighborhood she didnt think much about the unmarked black SUV with tinted windows on the side of the road. Will Ainsworth want to know how such a department could have existed. Not speeding, not swerving, just using the left lane. Perez ultimately decided to pay the $1,100 fine on top of hundreds hed already spent to get his towed car back and get the heck out of Brookside. 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. He waved it around the restaurant, in front of customers and staff. She was not speeding, or breaking the law, she argued in the suit. The town of Brookside, Alabama holds municipal court once a month. Neither the police nor the town have responded to questions since the original story ran. called for the second town hall meeting this week. Brookside, just north of Birmingham, already faces at least 10 lawsuits about its policing. 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. Oftentimes, a person's decision to forgo paying a fine goes deeper, Sarathy Jones said. Police stops soared between 2018 and 2020. As we have seen, overly aggressive traffic enforcement is not the way forward. I feel bad for those guys who struggle, Perez said. From 2018 to 2020, spending on police rose from $79,000 to $524,000, a 560% increase. His car was towed with apologies from the tow-truck driver costing him several hundred dollars. City officials have said they cannot comment on personnel issues, though they did provide, as part of the records request, a breakdown of officer pay. 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. James Sebestain Bo Savelle III (Photo courtesy of Hoover Police). Then-Council member Bryan was there each time the police department reported their revenues to them during council meetings. The accounts told to AL.com detail harassment and intimidation. Stories of how Alabama legal systems criminalize poverty. 43 Brookside should consider such a policy. But Brookside revenues from fines and forfeitures soared after that, and the towns law-enforcement goals and its reputation changed. IE 11 is not supported. Seven Brookside police officers have resigned since details of the towns aggressive policing strategy gained national attention in January. He feels the police saw him as prey, and treated him as such. Johnson, though it is unclear if Brookside had a Detective Johnson. 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. 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. Third, police leadership and individual officers would likely benefit from training focused not only on racial profiling, but also on overall traffic enforcement strategy. I was scared to death even though I was doing nothing wrong.. 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. "Brookside is a continuation of that story almost 10 years later. Thats 49% of the small towns skyrocketing revenue. The courtroom and the parking lot are packed with people. Will Ainsworth requested a state audit, and amid calls for state and federal investigations. It did not feature a breakout of the police department. More than half the Brookside officers resigned or were fired this year as more and more people came forward to tell their stories about mistreatment in Brookside. The deputy gave him a professional courtesy verbal warning and sent him on his way. Bill Dawson, a lawyer in Birmingham, said he's had about two dozen people contact him with allegations, but for years, many have been too reluctant to complain. Despite that, the Shelby County case was dropped without explanation under the condition that he pay $100. Address, Phone Number, and Fax Number for Brookside Police Department, a Police Department, at Main Street, Brookside AL. They often say they had no idea why they were pulled over while passing near Brookside on Interstate 22. 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 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. In 2018, reporters for ABC 33/40 said they asked the former mayor of Brookside about Jones financial problems when he was hired. He decided to plead guilty and pay the fines after seeing how others were treated. 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). And it broke her heart, it broke my heart.. 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. We respect the process and its outcomes., Montague Minnifield talks passionately about his experience with Brookside Police. The caller identified himself as a Det. Its a former mining town, its population about the same as it was a decade ago. "You're taking the money for them to potentially get that light fixed by making them pay a fine.". originally filed on behalf of Cory Thomas, AL.com in January reported how Brookside used fines and forfeitures, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Police stacked fines on them, often towed their cars and generated revenue that went right back into the police department. The growth has come with trouble to match. Periodic review of bodycam video can be used to monitor and investigate possible profiling or other alleged misconduct. Lt. Gov. Police Trap, she posted in June of 2019. 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. She vividly recalls the events of that night and the following day. Lawyer Martin Weinberg had a client in Brookside, a young man named Thomas Hall, who was stopped for speeding and found with a small amount of marijuana. It may cost some money to go through that process, he said. Most of the vehicles Brookside Police drive are unmarked, and tinted. The conclusion reads: He is still torn, wondering if he should have fought the town harder. She insists like many others stopped by Brookside police that she did not run the stop sign at all. State agencies have since launched audits and investigations of police there, and officials such as Alabama Lt. Gov. Privacy Policy Mayor Bryan said he inherited a bad situation when he took over as mayor in November, and was fooled by Jones. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. At least three bills are now before the Legislature that would affect those cities. A Peace Officer sworn in the State of Alabama can enforce the law anywhere in the State of Alabama, he wrote in an email. she added. They were infatuated with Mike (Jones) because he was doing all this good for Brookside and they couldnt see any of the bad.. (Joe Songer for AL.com).Joe Songer. Brookside Police Department is in the Police1 Law Enforcement Directory. 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). If you had more officers and more productivity youd have more, Jones said. People who were detained by Brookside officers beyond a traffic stop. Leadership should be aware that large-scale statistical analyses are inherently untimely and mask individual behavior. There is no trust," Representative Juandalynn Givan said. Over-policing can also create the perception of racial profiling when it appears to target minority citizens. Brookside has 1,253 people, according to the most recent census. The man is still afraid of retaliation, and asked for anonymity. Tiny Brooksides style of policing under Jones has become known nationally in recent weeks. He has not commented since. Its more important now than ever before that law enforcement maintain high levels of professionalism and integrity, he said. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Brandon McDonald, another former dispatcher the first hired by Brookside after Chief Jones took over in 2018 and created the position said Jones had a long association with Savelle. Additional Information. 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.. August 18, 2015 Aerial Videography of Brookside, Alabama Trails Five Mile Creek on the Alabama Birding Trail September 24, 2014 Brookside walkng trail has been added to the Appalchian Highlands Birding Trail web site! According to AL.com's investigation, Jones, who was hired in 2018, built a police department of 10 or more full-time and part-time officers to patrol Brookside's 6 miles of roads and 1 mile jurisdiction along Interstate 22, a corridor between Birmingham and Memphis, Tennessee. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Police Chief Mike Jones has since resigned, Lt. Gov. It's a story that is really egregious and heinous for a variety of reasons.". He reported that his Police Chief was mad.. That meeting will be at 6 p.m. at the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office Training Center in Fultondale, 3500 Happy Hollow Lane. AL.com also sought connection through Brookside officials. Jones built Brooksides police department from a sleepy, one-man agency to an intimidating force of 14 between 2018 and this year. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is the police department that serves the area, where Mike Hale is the sheriff. He stated that I issued threats, incited a riot, and slandered the Brookside Police Department in my Facebook posts. 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. 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. However, our analysis did find significant evidence of selective enforcement with respect to warning tickets. Video above: Federal class action lawsuit filed against Town of Brookside, police officers Advertisement He said hed like to see even more growth in revenue from fines and forfeitures. The release said the town has no further comment on Jones's resignation since it involves a "personnel matter." Copyright 2022 WBRC. Allan Armstrong, one of a group of lawyers who filed the complaint, said Brookside violated basic American rights. Attempts to reach Savelle for comment were unsuccessful. 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). She is unsure if he called the man. (Joe Songer for AL.com).Joe Songer. It is what happened after the stop that is most concerning to him. "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. Sandra Jo Harris, a 52-year-old grandmother, claims in a lawsuit she pulled off I-22 at Cherry Avenue on Jan. 8, 2020, as she often did when she went to visit her daughter. But an officer grabbed the phone and threw it to the ground, breaking it, the lawsuit says. Its not about making a dollar, Jones said. 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. I cant stand a dirty cop, Sheriff Turman told AL.com. If we have to come get ya, well make you famous!, When you look at their Facebook pages its almost like they are bullies. 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. She had an asthma attack and a panic attack, but when she knocked on the door to alert a guard, a jailer said if she continued to knock she would be charged with attempting to escape. [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. The town also provided a set of police stats Jones presented to the Brookside council to push for more resources and authority. 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. He was drunk and disorderly and harassed a married couple, according to a Hoover offense report. He said police accused him of running a stop sign that I never did run, and he complained about it on Facebook. 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. 2711 Municipal Dr. Brookside, AL 35036. 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. Ultimately another officer took Perez to his friends house to retrieve her ID, he said. He was also ticketed for improper signal, though he cant even fathom how that might have occurred. I was just looking at him like, so this is what this stop is about?. CountyOffice.org does not provide consumer reports and is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Yet the Brookside stories come at an alarming rate. 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. He was released after posting $20,000 bail. The Brookside Police Department is located on Municipal Drive, and the Chief of Police is Jason Springfield. The police wont do anything, Savelle is quoted in the report as saying. 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. 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. But fines and. 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. Brookside until recently was known for its quirky Russian food festival and the states only onion-domed Russian Orthodox Church. His phone is not accepting calls and he did not return emails to an address listed as belonging to him. 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). She set out to challenge it. Hudgens, who lives in Brookside, said she is concerned for her town. Scott Shackford | 1.19.2022 1:20 PM. 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. 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. 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