Don't Drink & Shoplift at Walmart

 

Different retail concerns have very dissimilar policies concerning shoplifting. Shoplift at Walmart, especially if you're visibly impaired, you will face consequences.

Several locals have criticized the Florence Police Department for the recent treatment of a shoplifter who resisted arrest. Why was this perp "assaulted?" He stole and then resisted arrest. Here'e the statement from Chief Michael Holt:

We are aware that there is a video circulating that shows a small glimpse of an entire incident. The video and commentary posted paints a dangerously inaccurate picture of what occurred during this incident. The individual in question was armed with a knife on his hip and was actively resisting arrest. The officer attempted to place the male in handcuffs but he resisted.

The officer took the subject to the ground. While on the ground, the individual refused to remove his uncuffed hand from underneath him, near the knife, creating a significant threat to the officer’s safety, as well as the safety of others. Due to the threat, the officer delivered two strikes to the subject’s head, which freed his hand. The strikes created a laceration to the subject’s eyebrow, creating heavy bleeding.

The male was transported to the hospital via ambulance and was later released to the Lauderdale County Detention Center. The male was charged with Public Intoxication, Resisting Arrest, and Retail Theft 3rd Degree.

One note: Some witnesses have stated the officer struck the shoplifter three times, not two. We're sure they'll be delighted when called to testify at any lawsuit the arrestee files.

No, the FPD Isn't "After Him"

 

Someone sent us a link to a statement made by one of our regular bad boys. In this post, the frequent flyer claims the Florence Police Department is "after him." He also mentions another blog that has posted articles on his numerous arrests.

Did we say numerous? Since February 2018, this local bad boy has had at least 23 separate arrests. That's not counting charges - just arrests. Does anyone the right side of the law actually think the police have it in for this offender? Does anyone think these arrests have been the fault of anyone but the offender himself?

Sure, there may be a few dishonest law enforcement officers out there, but most are simply doing their duty in protecting Florence and Lauderdale County. That includes county judges who have also issued warrants for this man. 

Before you blame the police for this man's troubles, take a look at the charges against him. That goes for a few others who claim that they're totally innocent and merely the victim of a vendetta or envy. 

Florence police officers do their job...and for that we're very grateful. 

Doesn't Killen Have a Police Force?

There was a great deal of controversy yesterday over four Florence police officers speaking at an out of town school. In the interest of absolute transparency, we believe one of the officers only woofed. Still, he as well as the other three are employees of the FPD, not Killen.

What would have happened in Florence if a sudden influx of loiterers had arrived? Who would have protected the citizens then? 

We're glad that the four officers showed the Killen children a good time. We're just not glad that they did it while citizens of Florence were paying their salaries. Lest any think boundaries don't matter, remember it wasn't that long ago that Colbert County showed everyone just how those boundaries work. 

Speaking of Brooks school, a long time reader has informed us that it's the policy at Brooks for the band to use the physical education weight room located in the new field house. To each his own. When we were in school a few millennia ago, one of the drawing points of the band was that members didn't have to associate with the jocks in P.E.

The part that we find interesting is that other groups are not allowed similar time. If these groups don't object, fine. If they do object, then some changes need to be made by the new superintendent whoever he may be. 

Criticism for Florence Police

So which had you rather do: Video a lip-sync or drink boiling water? No matter how silly you may look, we hope you chose the former. 



If you're not aware, many police departments are engaging in the lip-sync craze. Presumably that's because there's no crime in their towns. Some have been pretty bad, but some have been just short of perfection. The Muscle Shoals Police video is surely something to behold.

So did surrounding towns heap the officers with praise? At least one town says it can do better. Yes, Florence says it can outdo Muscle Shoals, presumably between solving several cold case murders. The FPD is so sure of itself that it released a teaser.

Now here's the kicker - the teaser is set in (drum roll) Sheffield. We were a little perplexed to see the Florence officer cavorting at a Sheffield landmark, but then we tend to notice little incongruities like that. This time, we weren't the only ones.

It seems many have commented on just why the FPD would film a video designed to showcase their department in a neighboring town. The comments haven't been exactly favorable. 

So will the finished video offer any surprises? We have no idea, but let's hope it depicts the FPD arresting the entire population of Muscle Shoals and herding them into the detention center. It may be the only way to redeem themselves.

Let's Talk Euthanizing Titus...

Titus is a Florence Police K-9, ostensibly a German Shepherd, or Alsatian, if you prefer that term. On November 11th, Titus' handler was visiting in a home in northern Florence and placed Titus in the home's backyard. Apparently Titus was not comfortable in his new environment and promptly jumped over the fence while handler Josh Hein and his girlfriend socialized inside. Titus then wandered to another home where he attacked a woman who was retrieving items from her vehicle.

The attack was totally unprovoked and occurred entirely on the victim's property. Her life will never be the same. She's currently in rehab for injuries inflicted by Titus and is reported to need more surgery at a future date. 

To say that Florence is now on the receiving end of a lawsuit should be unneeded. Yet what about Titus? Make no mistake, we love dogs, but we've been told that once a dog refuses to obey commands, his working days are over. Sadly, with Titus' training, his days on this planet would also be over is he were the property of anyone or anything but a law enforcement agency.

We find it hard to accept the truth here, but would you want Titus in your home? Would you want Titus (and Josh Hein) as your neighbor? We're guessing you're answering a resounding "no." We've seen conflicting reports of Titus being on duty or being off duty. What we can definitely say is that if Titus had belonged to a private citizen, he would probably have been shot at the scene of the attack, and if he hadn't he would be in a 30 day quarantine at a veterinary facility.

We support the Florence Police Department; we also realize they invested at least $10,000.00 in Titus, not counting specialized training. It's a sad end for Titus, but if he were human, he would be looking at First Degree Assault charges and facing a prison sentence. 

Let's think of the victim and the city's liability in this (meaning you the taxpayer). Do you want to pay out on a second claim because of Titus?

Go Fund Me for Victim

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This year is really special. Not only do we have the Iron Bowl to divide us, we have the December 12th Senate race. Just think of the angst of those hosting large gatherings tomorrow when considering seating arrangements. May we suggest four separate tables?

What Roy Said/What the FPD Said

First, two quick comments about Roy Moore's denials concerning his latest accuser. 

1) Was his signature forged on the accuser's annual? It could have been; we're sure she won't mind a handwriting expert looking at it. Then perhaps a psychologist could tell us why Ray/Roy felt the need to add the credentials D.A. after his signature; bear in mind he was only the A.D.A. at this time.

2) Moore and his campaign state he's not familiar with the restaurant where his accuser worked. Was it even there in 1977? According to a city directory, it certainly was there. Not only was it in Gadsden, it was on U.S. 431, a major artery where Rally's Drive-In now sits.

We'll add that two more signatures from Roy's list of ministerial supporters have come under fire. That leaves 46. The absolute horrible part is that we're reading of those who say they couldn't care less if he's a rapist or not, they would never vote for a Democrat...Mo Brooks coming close to using these words himself. 

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Now we come to the Florence police dog assault from this past Saturday night. Does it make a difference if the dog was on duty or not? Is this a major insurance point?

If you're not aware, an FPD K-9 jumped over a fence and immediately bit a woman...a woman who is a city employee, but not one who works for the FPD. The victim required surgery, and neighbors say she received injuries to her shoulder which are permanent.

Capt. Mike Holt of the FPD has been quoted as saying the dog, one of two reportedly owned by the department, was receiving a bath when he escaped the fenced-in area, making him "on duty" for maintenance. Neighbors report a different story, saying the dog's trainer and his girlfriend had just returned home and had let the dog into the back yard when it immediately jumped the fence. That would mean the dog was not on duty.

We have to ask not only which story is the true one, but why are there two distinct versions of the incident?

Reduction in Services/Who Will Work Wrecks on Bridge?

What do you think about the Florence Police Department's decision to disband it's traffic patrol unit, and the decision to cut other services? I wouldn't want to try to negotiate major intersection with a funeral procession without a police escort. If the traffic cops are needed for regular patrol duties, what does that say about the crime rate in Florence?

 

You have to wonder what the public ISN'T being told. 

 

The bit about so many officers retiring had been known for years yet they didn't plan for it???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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For years we've been told one of the main purposes of keeping the Florence motorcycle patrol was to work accidents on the O'Neal Bridge. Now what? Does Sheffield pick up half and each department walk to these wrecks? Or perhaps those involved are simply told to drive on if they're able and officers will meet them? How about jet packs? No, wait, we can't afford those either.

 

 

 

 

Let's Play "Is Your Teacher an Idiot?"/Florence Police

Idiot Savant: It’s a term one doesn’t hear that often anymore, presumably because it’s not P.C. Briefly, it means a person of little intelligence who has a gift in one area. Sometimes we’re reminded of the term when we see those who perform well in their jobs, but haven’t a clue about anything else going on in the world.

This past week a Lincoln County, Tennessee, teacher has been in the news for assigning her class a project in which they were to make crosses. The original assignment was probably for Easter and would have been a great idea…in 1956.

We haven’t taken a poll, but certainly most who write here are of the Christian faith. Without a doubt, we can say that Shoalanda herself is. So why a blog about the Lincoln County School System being targeted by the Freedom from Religion organization?

We can sum it up in just one sentence: If a teacher is allowed to assign a class a project to make crosses, a teacher is allowed to assign students a project to make Islamic symbols…or symbols representing the Church of Satan. It’s as simple as that. Do you want your children making such symbols in school? No, we didn’t think so.

And for those who don’t see the connection to the term idiot savant, we ask why teachers with at least a four year college degree in education don’t understand what the law is on that subject?

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If you’ve read some comments on our Facebook site, you know that the Florence Police Department was recently accused of making up evidence against a person. Do we believe this accusation? What do you think?

We plan to have a blog ready on this complaint soon, but in the mean time, if any of our readers have encountered this alleged behavior, please contact us. We don’t expect to receive any, or at least many, anecdotes from citizens, but in the interest of fairness we are asking, especially if this has happened in the past five years or so. We are aware of rare incidents (a detective forging witness statements 20 year ago, for instance), but we support our police department and feel that such incidents are the exception to the rule.

Special: Wounded Florence Police Officer Identified

Sources close to the Florence Police Department have identified the officer wounded shortly after midnight this morning as Brian Berry. Officer Berry was reportedly wounded in the face, but was alert and talking when transported to Huntsville Hospital.

More Sinister Events at Walmart

From the Florence Police Department: The people in the picture below have been identified as Jason Lewis Kimbrough, 32, and April Dawn Hunt, 31. They have been begging for money at store parking lots. There are now warrants for their arrest. If seen please call the police at 256-760-6610.

We recently blogged of a suspicious male at Walmart seeking rides with single women. Now we have a new scam in place at the ubiquitous super center. Perhaps it's time to shop at Target, folks?



Shoalanda

A Closer Look at Melissa Beasley

Editor's Note: This article isn't about who's right or wrong in a current dispute involving personalities, game plans, and power. It takes two to make a fight, but that doesn't mean anyone should be anyone's doormat either. We don't have all the facts in this dispute, but we do have some facts about one of the participants, Melissa Beasley.

Melissa Beasley is a member of the Florence Police Department. As such, the citizens of Florence pay her salary. Those who shop and pay sales tax in Florence also pay her salary. She is a public figure. (We'll note that the other person involved in this dispute is also a public figure by virtue of her efforts to bring animal rescue to the public's attention and by agreeing to be interviewed by the local press.)

What do we know about Melissa Beasley? Does she have any advanced degrees? We hope so since at one time she was the mental health officer for Florence. How did that work out?

Not well. We realize one person can't work as a mental health officer 24/7, so any clear-thinking person wouldn't take such a job without assurances that the role would be filled by someone else when he/she was not on duty. That didn't happen when the son of a local physician was having an episode one Saturday. The mental health officer was called, but no one came. The young man was shot dead by another Florence Police officer, ostensibly in self-defense.

Let's move on to a more recent shooting. On the night Jerry Ivy was killed in East Florence, Melissa Beasley entered the investigation as a captain. When the smoke cleared some days later, she was a sergeant. Those who know protocol were surprised that she still had her job. Perhaps Florence didn't want any more sexual discrimination lawsuits?

At that time, the Shoalanda Group was forwarded several e-mails which detailed the events of that night. They were all written by a former officer who had no reason to like the FPD. We encouraged the writer to discuss this with us, but we never received a response. Were the allegations true? It's quite possible, but we do believe in most instances an individual deserves a second chance.

Now Melissa's name has popped up again in a controversy that we should all care about. We invite comments.



Shoalanda

Are Charges Against Florence Detective Valid?

WAFF has reported a citizen has filed charges against a Florence police officer. Anyone can file charges against anyone--that doesn't mean the allegations have merit. A contact at the Florence Police Department could not give us any specifics concerning the recent complaint stemming from a murder investigation, but he did have some non-specific comments.

Assuming it was the Jerry Ivy murder scene, various factors came into play. The shooting took place at the well-traveled intersection of Central Avenue and Connor Street. There was some light remaining at around 8:30 p.m. on July 19th and several neighbors were either on their respective porches or taking a walk. Family members of the victim, including his sister, were also present, and many have stated they feared retribution in some form.

Police arrived approximately five minutes after the initial shooting call. Bystanders were told to vacate the scene immediately. Some traffic was diverted in an attempt to preserve evidence. Our source says this is standard procedure and no one would have been treated any differently if the murder has occurred in any other area of Florence.

Obviously the behavior of the officer in question could have been unprofessional and involved much more than a raised voice. We're hoping it wasn't and didn't. We are sure Florence's new police chief Ron Tyler had hoped he wouldn't face such allegations about his department this early in his tenure.

Shoalanda

Rethinking the (Florence) Police Chase

The following is a guest commentary from a concerned and highly informed Colbert County citizen. His concern lies with the current policy of the Florence Police, a department which gives chase in almost all circumstances. There are always two sides to every issue, but we feel this "catch at all costs" policy causes more harm than good.

The author of this blog mentions mayhem that resulted from chases originating outside Lauderdale County, but there have been many more incidents which were encapsulated in Florence proper--among them the death of Jon Willingham. We understand these individuals did not have to run. Still, it is the job of our police to protect all citizens, even those who have made poor choices.

We want to stress that we receive complaints concerning law enforcement on a regular basis, some verifiable and many more that are not. Of those complaints, the fewest concern the City of Florence Police Department under Chief Rick Singleton. We consider Chief Singleton a paragon of what a leader should be, but that does not mean current policies cannot be improved. We urge everyone to read this:

Late Friday night/early Saturday morning Colbert Sheriffs' Department got a call for a suicidal man on Softly Lane in the Spring Valley community. When the deputies arrived on scene the man took off in his car. The deputies chased the vehicle into Lauderdale County where Florence Police took over the lead in the chase. FPD chased him to his mother's house in Killen where he shot himself in the head.

I am usually a big supporter of LE, but let me tell you the problems I see. Curtis Russell had not hurt anyone else. LE knew who he was and where to find him. By cornering him, in his mind a shot to the head was the only way out. This is the third time in recent years I have seen this same result involving FPD.

This first time was on 6th Street in Muscle Shoals. FPD chased Corey Carwyle who was suicidal, boxed him in, and he shot himself. The next incident was on Wilson Dam Road when FPD chased a man for forging a prescription through Florence across Patton Island and the man crashed his car into a 18 wheeler hauling lumber between 2nd St. and Avalon Ave. on Wilson Dam Rd.

When any emergency vehicle cuts on their lights and sirens it poses a danger to anyone in traffic and the risks of running Code 3 should be heavily considered when a unit is responding. I believe FPD should reevaluate their procedures. Is the risk to life worth chasing someone down who does not pose a threat to others. Especially when LE knows who the person is they are chasing and where they can be found later?

Related post: Another Florence Police Chase & Jon Willingham is Dead

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Shoalanda

Complaint against Florence Police Officer

Domestic abuse is not rare in Florence, or in any other Shoals area town. What should be rare is the authorities' unwillingness to respond to it.

Obviously, many domestic abuse calls come down to "he said, she said." In these cases, officers use their judgment, based on training and intuition, in order to make the best call for everyone involved. I cannot imagine that any Florence police officer would stand by and allow a woman to be brutalized by her domestic partner.

Recently, I received an anonymous communication about Florence Det. Jerry Pearson. The woman who contacted me felt that Det. Pearson did not take her charges against her husband seriously. Whether the complaint is valid or not, there are many resources here in the Shoals for battered women.

First, call Safeplace at 767-3076. This organization offers immediate help to any woman in danger from domestic abuse. Second, contact the city magistrate for a Protection from Abuse order. Certainly a piece of paper doesn't deter every abusive partner, but it will work in some cases. Third, if you feel that any officer has not been willing to listen to your complaints, call Chief Singleton. I feel certain that Rick Singleton will listen to any valid complaint and do his best to rectify any abuse of power. Finally, one may always file a formal complaint against any officer. It's sad that it would be necessary in a case of domestic abuse, but it may be the best option here.

Whatever you do, if you are abused, do not stay with the abuser. If you believe hollow promises, you are only placing yourself and your children in danger.


What's up with this: Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett closed city streets last night--eight hours after they became impassible. Good to know he's on top of things.

Unsolved Murders: Christopher Stanback - Part I

Chris Stanback's MySpace profile lists his age as 31, but his photograph is that of a 17 year-old boy, the age at which the Colbert County teenager died. The accompanying short bio prominently features the $20,000.00 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case, evidence of the desperation haunting the Stanback family for the past 14 years.

The summer of 1994, Christopher Stanback, known to his friends as Chris, returned from his home in Idaho to spend the summer with his mother Teresa, brother Harold, and sister Tara. On August 2, 1994, Teresa Stanback reported her son missing. Four days later, two children playing in a wooded area near the Carver Heights housing project found a body.

Speculation that the body was Chris' spread throughout the West Florence neighborhood, and soon a crowd of over one hundred spectators had gathered to watch Florence Police retrieve the remains. Many in the crowd of predominately young males tossed rocks and bottles at the authorities as they tried to move the body without disturbing any forensic evidence. Helicopters hovered overhead, their presence having no discernible effect on the crowd that was rapidly growing into a mob.

It had been less than three months since Florence Police officers had conducted a nighttime raid on the black neighborhood, arresting numerous drug dealers in what then Florence Police Chief Rick Thompson had dubbed Operation Copy Cat. To most of the gathering mob, Chris Stanback's death was just more proof that the police couldn't be trusted. Fortunately, local black leaders managed to control the growing crowd when authorities couldn't. Once the barrage of rock and bottle missiles halted, police retrieved the body and secured the scene.

Those who saw Chris Stanback's body realized that more than four days of summer sun had left an imprint on the murdered youth. What an autopsy later determined to be the results of a combination of beating and mutilation, the police took to be evidence that the body had been burned before it was disposed of. While their initial finding may have been easily explained under the circumstances, it only served to enforce the black community's opinion of the Florence Police Department: Truth was the last thing on their minds.

To be continued...

The Florence Police Department

When both natives and visitors critique Florence, they invariably mention problems at the Florence Police Department. Obviously many who have harsh words for the law enforcement officers have been caught in compromising situations and cannot provide an unbiased view; however, this is not always the case.

Sources in the department itself frequently complain of absent deputy chiefs, and those working with the municipal court system relate tales of the low morale within the department. These problems are long standing and will in all likelihood not be remedied by any quick fixes.

However, the problems reported by many area drivers can be easily corrected. Almost universally, those citizens pulled over for routine traffic stops report rude or other inappropriate behavior from Florence officers. No driver should have to ask three times why he or she has been stopped, and no citizen should be subjected to the remark, "You aren't from around here, are you?"

Chief Rick Singleton can easily attend to this situation. A few classes in simple correct protocol and good manners will go a long way.


What's up with this: It's been reported that the Franklin County Drug Task Force raided a home in Russellville last night and held a gun to the head of a nineteen year-old quadriplegic. They must really feel good about themselves.