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Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Council accelerates process of hiring permanent police chief
Mar. 5—In a council meeting in which some public comments about newly appointed interim police Chief Nadis Carlisle were supportive but others were critical, the City Council potentially shortened the time he will serve by accelerating the process to hire a permanent chief. The council unanimously approved changing the application period from 30 days to two weeks. "I do think time is of the essence," said Council President Jacob Ladner. Mayor Tab Bowling, who appointed Carlisle, on Tuesday said he was hoping Carlisle would get the City Council's support, "but it appears they're going a different route." Bowling said when he introduced Carlisle at a press conference last week that the interim chief would likely serve until November and the next council would then select a permanent chief. Bowling on Monday expressed his opposition to the reduced application period. "Two weeks is no time at all. If you know who you want, go ahead and select that person," he said to the council. Ladner said he thinks they need to open it up for two weeks to give people an opportunity to apply. Councilman Kyle Pike said he agrees, and the goal should be to get as many candidates as possible. "Without opening that up, you're limiting the candidate pool," Pike said. "Anybody that would fit this role in this region is fully aware of what's happening in Decatur." Ladner said he's received a lot of phone calls about the position since Pinion stepped down. "I've had literally 20-plus people who have been recommended," Ladner said. "They're aware of this. I think we'll have plenty of applicants." Councilman Billy Jackson said they've shortened the application period to two weeks twice in the 28 years he's been on the council. Both were because they had internal candidates to promote, he added. Jackson said Huntsville-based Green Research & Technology provided some suggested candidates for police chief during its independent review of the Police Department. "I don't think we could go wrong if we even selected a candidate out of that bunch," Jackson said. "I don't have a problem with opening it to get the best candidate." Councilman Carlton McMasters added they can extend the application period if they don't feel they have enough qualified candidates. Public comment during Monday's meeting featured a long line of speakers who were split on whether they approved of Bowling's appointment of Carlisle as interim chief. Carlisle spent time after the meeting talking with members of the public who have been critical of DPD. Councilman Hunter said he believes Bowling, who interviewed three candidates for interim chief, refused to take his and other council members' input on the interim chief selection because of a "good ole' boy system" that brought back Carlisle, a longtime DPD officer. Bowling said he, Human Resources Director Richelle Sandlin and City Attorney Herman Marks interviewed three candidates for interim chief. "There was no question to us to who the top candidate was, and I was the third vote," Bowling said. Pepper said he talked to Carlisle prior to his appointment. He said they had a good discussion, but he decided Carlisle wasn't the "proper pick for the job." Bowling said he would like to see Carlisle "have a chance to bring healing, but that's been stomped down in the community." — Drama Pepper brought drama to Monday's meeting by taking unexpected shots at former Police Chief Todd Pinion and Bowling. This was the third council meeting Pepper has attended in six months. He has been working out of town on a temporary assignment with the federal government since September. Pepper then doubled down on Tuesday when he called for Bowling's resignation as mayor — before boarding a plane to leave the city again. Pepper has been a vocal supporter of Pinion since the fatal police shooting of Steve Perkins on Sept. 29, 2023. However, Pepper on Monday targeted both Pinion and Bowling. "In 17 months, nothing has been accomplished by our leadership," Pepper said. "And, when I say our leadership, I believe the mayor's office didn't accomplish anything, and neither did the leadership in the Police Department." Pepper said issues raised by the shooting "were dumped on the council, and it's been a continuous problem." Bowling expressed surprise that Pepper had a change of heart on Pinion. "To say I've been neglectful when you've also been a supporter of Chief Pinion, I don't quite understand that," Bowling told Pepper. The mayor added on Tuesday that "it's hard with (Pepper) to know if that's even true. It's hard to tell if he's shooting straight or not." Bowling said the last 17 months have been difficult because of the long, controversial council meetings. "It's hard when they allow people to bash city employees and the city and say the same thing over and over again," Bowling said. "That's just really hard to dig out of." Pepper said Bowling made statements "that are false or misleading" when he made the Carlisle appointment. He said he believes the mayor is trying to divide Decatur "when all the council wants to do is unify the city." Pepper on Tuesday initially said Bowling "needs to step up to the plate," but then said, "It's time for the mayor to resign." Bowling said in response to Pepper's resignation demand, "I guess take it from the source. He has a right to his opinion, and he also has a right to be wrong." — or 256-340-2432
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pike questions police chief's leadership ability 'in light of current challenges'
Jan. 29—Councilman Kyle Pike demanded the implementation of a performance improvement plan for Chief Todd Pinion and the Decatur Police Department on Monday, just days after the release of a third-party review of the department. The demand came after Pike read a prepared statement at Monday's City Council work session that he has concerns about Pinion's "ability to lead the department going forward in light of the current challenges." However, Pike did agree with statements made by Mayor Tab Bowling and Pinion that Huntsville-based Green Research & Technology's review didn't find police brutality, abuse, racism or civil rights violations. Councilman Billy Jackson and many of those in attendance in a full council chambers disagreed with the officials' assessment that the review cleared the department of accusations of discriminatory and abusive conduct. Jackson, who called for Pinion's termination following the fatal police shooting of Steve Perkins on Sept. 29, 2023, said Pinion needs to face accountability just as the chief executive officer of a company would. "Early on, I said we needed to move a different direction from the chief," Jackson said. Jackson said that footage and incidents redacted from the report by City Attorney Herman Marks and not available to the public "were the most damning part to me." Roughly six and a half pages of the 41-page review were redacted. Michael Stovall, of Standing In Power, said the report is lengthy, and he urged the mayor and council to look closer. "There's a lot in there and, if you go line by line, you will see that there was much about racism," Stovall said. Pike said the mayor and Legal and Human Resources departments should lead to the implementation of a performance improvement plan with objectives for the chief and the department. "If not, I expect this council should do what it can, like it did with the review. It should be formal and made public if possible," Pike said. He said the process may require personnel actions, clear accountability measures, further training "and, most importantly, a clear and public communication of progress from the chief in these council chambers." "The issue will not be ignored or downplayed, and we owe it to our officers, community and city that the department has the right leadership moving forward," Pike said. Pike said problems with the public communication of Pinion and his department have been discussed a lot in the last 16 months and remain unresolved. "This has contributed to lingering negative perceptions, including the first statement after the Perkins incident that was made," Pike said. He said the department "has lacked leadership and decisive action" since the Perkins shooting. "There must be far more urgency from the department and its leadership, specifically the chief, in these matters and in dealing with the public," Pike said. Pike said one of his greatest concerns is Internal Affairs, a concern highlighted in the Green Technology report. "The issues with IA such as discrepancies in body cameras and reports, withholding of critical information and the perception of a lack of accountability undermine the public's trust," Pike said. "Trust is vital to our department's ability to effectively serve our city, and issues in IA are cause for further concern. "I'm apprehensive whether Chief Pinion has the leadership ability to guide the department forward, rebuild the public's trust and implement the necessary change. At this time, I am not confident in his ability as it stands." Pike said Pinion has had over a year to investigate the problems internally and implement change. "The lack of visible progress is concerning and raises questions about his ability to step forward and address these challenges decisively and publicly," he said. Pinion said Tuesday that he would not comment on Pike's statement. He added that he will likely make comments in the future addressing the concerns of Pike and the public. Councilman Carlton McMasters continues to support Pinion as police chief. "I've seen the chief's leadership," McMasters said, "and I don't know if other people have." McMasters said he believes the Police Department is in better shape than it was before Pinion became chief in 2022. "Crime is down and officer retention is much better than it was three and a half years ago," McMasters said. "That doesn't happen with poor leadership." — Pinion pushes back The chief asked before the meeting to speak prior to public comment. Pinion entered the council chambers flanked by a dozen police officers. About 15 people stood up and walked out of the chambers as Pinion prepared to speak. They returned when he finished. In a prepared statement, Pinion started by pointing out that people repetitively suggested at council meetings for over a year that "this department is corrupt, out of control with no accountability, racist with many civil rights violations, (and) made multiple demands for the (U.S.) Department of Justice to come here, which by the way I welcomed then and I still welcome now. This report gave no indication that any of those things were a legitimate or significant concern. For that, we should all be proud." While Pinion said the review did not find police brutality and abuse, racism or civil rights violations in his departments, he acknowledged it did find some issues. "The report did show us some areas of improvement, which we will address and some of which I've already addressed prior to this report's release," the chief said. Bowling said he expects the changes will most likely come from Pinion as leader of the Police Department. "Let me answer one thing that you haven't asked," Bowling told a speaker. "Do I support our chief of police? Yes." Pinion said he takes offense at the suggestion that "our officers are misapplying the law on a regular basis to violate people's rights." The Green Technology report cited "questionable arrests for Disorderly Conduct and Obstruction of Governmental Operations, often based on officer's problematic 'lawful orders' ... ." Pinion called this "a slap in the faces of the men and women that put on that badge every day. The report intentionally leans into that perception, which is why those two charges combined make up for less than 1% of the total charges that we make." McMasters said crime was getting "a little bit out of control" under former Chief Nate Allen with a record number of homicides in 2020 and 2021. Crime is down under Pinion, he said. McMasters said the candidates for chief when Pinion was interviewed and hired "wanted more leeway to be more proactive." He said traffic stops and drug arrests have increased under Pinion. "I think there's a fine balance between that community policing and being proactive," McMasters said. Jackson said he believes the low percentage of complaints relative to police contacts is due to the perception of many people in the city that the Police Department will not follow up on complaints filed against the officers, another concern raised by the Green Technology report. "I'm not saying this is true or not — it's a perception of someone who did not file a report," Jackson said. "'This is Decatur, Alabama, and if I report this, I'll be retaliated against.'" Resident Christy Love said she doesn't trust DPD's data because the department's officers "don't want to be held accountable." Pinion said Municipal Court Judge Takisha Gholston doesn't think police officers "are making those charges inappropriately. I would hope you have already reached out to the Municipal Court judge for her opinion. I know I have, and she has no concerns with us abusing those laws." Pinion criticized some council members for their unwillingness to meet with him or participate in a ride-along with a DPD officer. Only one of the five councilmen has been on a ride-along. "If you think there is a concern within our department, please come do a ride-along and see for yourself," he told the council. He said he sent an email to council members inviting them to weekly one-hour meetings about their concerns, "and that was after concerns with my lack of communication." "Some of you never showed up; some of you showed up infrequently; and others are there regularly," Pinion said. — or 256-340-2432
