Investigation: Conflicting Info from Mayor about Pine Bluff PD Internal Review
By: Marci Manley, KARK 4 News
Updated: March 23, 2012
"Was there ever a formal response made to those allegations? " Pine Bluff Alderman Bill Brumet asked Mayor Carl Redus.
In Monday night's Pine Bluff City Council Meeting, Brumet's question was regarding allegations made by Assistant Police Chief Ivan Whitfield made against Police Chief Brenda Davis-Jones.
"Those accusations were found to be untrue," Mayor Redus said.
Whitfield submitted a letter back in February, claiming he was disciplined by Jones not because his service weapon had been stolen and left at a crime scene, but because she was angry at him for knowing details about her boyfriend and his run in with Pine Bluff Police.
"Research that was done by internal affairs were found to be untrue," Mayor Redus said.
"Is there a formal document that puts those answers on paper?" Brumett asked.
"If there's been a formal investigation, that's a formal answer. That's formal."
"I just wish we got a list of answers to those questions, that's why I asked for it," Brumett said.
Brumett, not satisfied with just Redus' explanation. He filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the investigation's findings. The response he got from Pine Bluff Deputy Chief Ricky Whitmore says:
In reference to an internal investigation into allegations made by Assistant Chief Ivan Whitfield, concerning his termination. Sergeant Roulhac informed me that no investigation into the matter was done by the Office of Professional Standards.
Whitmore went on to write, "I also spoke with Deputy Chief Kelvin Sergeant about the same matter. He stated he did not investigate any allegations of termination that Assistant Chief Whitfield made, either."
"We have some questions about this internal investigation that apparently didn't take place according to communications sent to Alderman Brumet. What do you have to say about that?" we asked Mayor Carl Redus, walking down a flight of stairs.
Redus told us he couldn't comment on an internal investigation.
"An internal investigation is something you can't communicate about, until the investigation is complete," he said. "That's the nature of an internal investigation so I can't comment on it to the public or the press."
But rewind here, in the City Council meeting Redus did talk about an internal affairs investigation findings.
"Research that was done by internal affairs shows those accusations were found to be untrue," he had told Brumett in the meeting.
When we pressed Redus about a Pine Bluff Police Department investigation never taking place, he changed his story.
"From an investigation point of view, and investigation by state police is still ongoing," he said.
"So, is that what you were referring to in speaking to Mr. Brumett? A state police investigation?" we asked him.
"There is a state police investigation taking place," he said.
"But it hasn't been completed yet?" we asked.
"No, no it hasn't," he said.
"Then how could those accusations be unfounded if the investigation isn't complete yet?" we asked.
"At that point and time that was not part of the investigation, and the information had to do with something else. With the internal investigation is going on, I don't want to comment on that particular investigation at this point and time," he said. "I think once that's complete it will be released."
We checked with Arkansas State Police, the only ongoing investigation it has is a criminal investigation regarding who stole Whitfield's weapon and how it was recovered.
According to a spokesperson, the investigation does not deal with any personnel matters, nor does it address the accusations Whitfield made against the chief.
In Monday night's Pine Bluff City Council Meeting, Brumet's question was regarding allegations made by Assistant Police Chief Ivan Whitfield made against Police Chief Brenda Davis-Jones.
"Those accusations were found to be untrue," Mayor Redus said.
Whitfield submitted a letter back in February, claiming he was disciplined by Jones not because his service weapon had been stolen and left at a crime scene, but because she was angry at him for knowing details about her boyfriend and his run in with Pine Bluff Police.
"Research that was done by internal affairs were found to be untrue," Mayor Redus said.
"Is there a formal document that puts those answers on paper?" Brumett asked.
"If there's been a formal investigation, that's a formal answer. That's formal."
"I just wish we got a list of answers to those questions, that's why I asked for it," Brumett said.
Brumett, not satisfied with just Redus' explanation. He filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the investigation's findings. The response he got from Pine Bluff Deputy Chief Ricky Whitmore says:
In reference to an internal investigation into allegations made by Assistant Chief Ivan Whitfield, concerning his termination. Sergeant Roulhac informed me that no investigation into the matter was done by the Office of Professional Standards.
Whitmore went on to write, "I also spoke with Deputy Chief Kelvin Sergeant about the same matter. He stated he did not investigate any allegations of termination that Assistant Chief Whitfield made, either."
"We have some questions about this internal investigation that apparently didn't take place according to communications sent to Alderman Brumet. What do you have to say about that?" we asked Mayor Carl Redus, walking down a flight of stairs.
Redus told us he couldn't comment on an internal investigation.
"An internal investigation is something you can't communicate about, until the investigation is complete," he said. "That's the nature of an internal investigation so I can't comment on it to the public or the press."
But rewind here, in the City Council meeting Redus did talk about an internal affairs investigation findings.
"Research that was done by internal affairs shows those accusations were found to be untrue," he had told Brumett in the meeting.
When we pressed Redus about a Pine Bluff Police Department investigation never taking place, he changed his story.
"From an investigation point of view, and investigation by state police is still ongoing," he said.
"So, is that what you were referring to in speaking to Mr. Brumett? A state police investigation?" we asked him.
"There is a state police investigation taking place," he said.
"But it hasn't been completed yet?" we asked.
"No, no it hasn't," he said.
"Then how could those accusations be unfounded if the investigation isn't complete yet?" we asked.
"At that point and time that was not part of the investigation, and the information had to do with something else. With the internal investigation is going on, I don't want to comment on that particular investigation at this point and time," he said. "I think once that's complete it will be released."
We checked with Arkansas State Police, the only ongoing investigation it has is a criminal investigation regarding who stole Whitfield's weapon and how it was recovered.
According to a spokesperson, the investigation does not deal with any personnel matters, nor does it address the accusations Whitfield made against the chief.
