Saturday, February 16, 2019

Richland Defends Police Chases

Give Richland Police Chief William James credit for defending his cops.  While others hide behinds Mayors and legal teams, Chief James stood tall and proud for his officers as he took to Facebook to provide more information on police chases that begin in Richland but end in Jackson.  Chief James posted:

It is the job of every public servant, to do just that, serve. At times that service is not pleasant or convenient, but as public servants, we don’t get to “pick and choose”…do we??

A police officer is a public servant with many functions, one of which is to enforce the laws enacted by duly elected legislative bodies. It is not our job to create laws but there enforcement rests with us. I, like all police officers, took an oath; I made some pretty heavy promises to the public. I promised to support the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Mississippi, to obey the laws thereof, and to faithfully discharge the duties of my office, “So help me God”. We serve communities where peace and dignity are cherished and desired and pursued. Those who would destroy or diminish the peace and dignity of a community by violating its laws must be dealt with. Now, just as it is not our duty to create laws it is also not our duty to prescribe the punishment. It is, however, our duty to bring law breakers to those who can carry out punishment. That, my friends, is where the rubber meets the road! Criminals run from the police because they do not want to face the justice they deserve, and police officers chase criminals because it’s their job.

Much is often made of the officers who pursue these violent offenders but little is ever mentioned about the offenders themselves. Below, is a sample of actual cases involving police pursuits, they are provided so it may be better understood what we are combating:

• 2/15/18, stolen vehicle out of Jackson. Suspect is a registered sex offender, history includes armed robbery, burglary, rape and domestic violence.
• 4/18/18, shoplifting (Kroger). History, multiple robberies, numerous narcotic convictions, forgeries and house burglaries (history starts in 1970).
• 4/24/18, officer initiated, charges fleeing & trafficking c/s, numerous drug charges, felon with possession of weapon, Aggravated Assault & parole violations. (104 grams of meth).
• 4/25/18, officer initiated, suspect ran two previous times from RCSO, charges fleeing history includes possession of paraphernalia & traffic violations.
• 4/26/18, stolen vehicle out of Jackson, charges fleeing, receiving stolen prop & trafficking c/s, suspect had history including numerous burglaries & possession of burglary tools, auto theft & previous fleeing charges.
• 7/9/18 officer initiated, charges fleeing, possession of c/s, intent, 3 outstanding warrants through MBN & warrant for MDOC. History includes numerous drug charges & various misdemeanor charges.
• 9/18/18 stolen vehicle out of Ridgeland. Charges are fleeing & receiving stolen property. History includes numerous narcotic charges & burglaries.
• 9/26/18 officer initiated traffic violation. Suspect charged with fleeing, possession of m/j-felony & possession of c/s 190 ecstasy pills. History includes numerous felony arrest rape, aggravated assault & narcotics.
• 10/1/18 pursuit started w/other PD, charges include aggravated assault on police officer, fleeing, possession of c/s (misdemeanor), possession of m/j & paraphernalia. History includes burglary & grand larceny along with narcotics arrest.
• 10/12/18 officer initiated stolen vehicle from Jackson, charges fleeing, possession of stolen vehicle, RPD warrant. History includes numerous narcotics, property crimes, burglary & shoplifting.
• 12/16/18 shoplifting (Walmart) (5 offenders-2adults & 3 juveniles). Charges include felony shoplifting, fleeing, & traffic violations, history includes shoplifting, forgery, numerous assaults.
• 12/21/18 stolen vehicle from Hinds County, charges include fleeing & possession of stolen vehicle. History includes numerous narcotics, fleeing, receiving stolen prop, and felon in possession of weapon & vehicle theft.
• 1/6/19 stolen vehicle out of Jackson, history includes shooting into occupied dwelling, several armed robberies, car theft, narcotics & felon in possession of weapon.
• 1/28/19 stolen vehicle out of Jackson. Charges include fleeing & possession of stolen vehicle history includes numerous auto theft, narcotics burglary, shooting into vehicle, aggravated assault, shooting into dwelling & MDOC warrant.
• 2/8/19 shoplifting (Walmart) charges include fleeing, shoplifting, & traffic violations. History includes numerous shoplifting, prostitution & narcotics.

It should be evident that the criminals in the above listed cases have proven to be violent and dangerous. They have proven time, and time, and time again that they intend to prey on peaceful communities regardless of the laws in place to protect them. It is precisely because evil exists that police officers are called into action.

We eagerly await an invitation to peacefully and diplomatically discuss new and innovative ways of protecting all people in the Metro Area. We are prepared to hear and consider any reasonable requests. We are not, however, prepared to turn a blind eye to our communities’ request for peace and dignity.

Evil never sleeps! Evil will not cease to exist because it is ignored, it must be rooted out and put down!!!


Kingfish note: Dear Mayor Lumumba: Good luck with diplomacy.

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mayor Lumumba,

If just for one time you wanted to do the right thing. Why don't you warn your local thugs that if they leave the plantation to commit crimes in surrounding communities that you will support said communities 100% in any way possible to assist in their apprehension of said criminals. You now sound like you're more apt to protect them than assist other communities catch them. Better yet just put the vermin in jail when you catch them committing their First, Second, Third or even Fourth offenses in your own pathetic town.

Signed,

The Rest Of The State

Anonymous said...

Jackson is it’s own worst enemy. No wonder it is a city in decline.

Anonymous said...

how are those thugs still out there? they are just so blessed to not be in the slammer

Anonymous said...

Richland has a great police department and great officers. As a Richland resident, I appreciate the chief for standing up for his officers. Jackson may encourage crime in their city but this police department and frankly no other PD in Rankin County is gonna stand for Jackson trash coming in thinking the same rules apply. These guys will enforce the law no matter the color of your skin or status in the community, just look at their FB page. Good Job Chief...

Anonymous said...

The Chief makes a great argument for police chases. By highlighting the criminals involved it shows the criminal justice system does not function. So after the many felony arrest an arrest by Richland PD for shoplifting and fleeing & eluding is going to keep any of these guys off the streets? Probably not, and there apprehension is not worth the life of my children should they be killed during a pursuit. Surely no one can disagree with that. Take out the pursuit going to Jackson, is it still ok to pursue through Brandon, Flowood, Madison? Pursuits are necessary but not for every minor offense. Common sense needs to prevail.

Anonymous said...

That’s quite a few pursuits. Good job RPD. I’ve been profiled in 3 of the surrounding suburbs, including Richland, because of the places my job takes me and my Hinds County tag. And I’m white. Each time ended the same way, with the officers sending me on my way and telling me to be careful. In the case with RPD, he did want to unload my firearm and place it on the vehicle while we talked, and I was fine with that since it made him more comfortable. I don’t hold grudges against any of them, or the citizens that may have reported me. People deserve to live in a safe place, and if you run from the law, you should expect to be chased.

Anonymous said...

I don't really mind Richland police arresting scumbags - but, one has to wonder what Chief James's reaction would be if JPD was chasing criminals through Richland's streets.

Does anyone know what the actual law or regulation governing exactly how inter-city/county police chases are supposed to be handled? I'm curious what the actual process is and what the actual problem is. If there isn't a problem, maybe it's time for the leaders of these two communities to come together, shake hands, and commit to locking up criminals.

Anonymous said...

2:52 The law is that municipal and county boundaries are not a way for a fleeing criminal to elude the police. Once pursuit is initiated the officer has no obligation to call it off simply because the suspect crossed into another jurisdiction. If Jackson P.D. Chased a suspect into Richland, Flowood, Pearl, Florence or anywhere else in Rankin county, they would get assistance from all of those jurisdictions. The City administration in Jackson seems to think that they can be a sanctuary for fleeing criminals. Guess what! That isn’t going to work.
NOTE TO JACKSON MAYOR AND BOARD: if you don’t want police from Rankin and Madison to chase your thugs into your city, keep them there and out of our areas. We will NOT tolerate them.
Good Job Chief James and Richland P.D.

Anonymous said...

The Chief sounds like a fine and dedicated public servant and I'm sure he does not want to hurt any innocent citizens when he is performing his duty. But that is the issue. We are not merely talking about apprehending people who commit crimes in a neighboring community, we are talking about using potentially lethal action around innocent people to apprehend perpetrators who were not threatening the lives and safety of the jurisdiction the police now endanger. A high speed chase on residential streets is very likely to result in death, serious injury, and property damage. Anyone, including police, who engage in that kind of activity must do so only after weighing the possible consequences, not merely because "I'm doing my job." The job is to "Serve and Protect". Sometimes that means to protect against the reckless endangerment of the police themselves. The police have to be the prudent party when these things happen, cause the perps don't give a damn. Thank you Chief for your service!

Anonymous said...

What would be more impressive is a list of those minor misdemeanor cases where the police called off a chase because the danger to the public would not justify the dangerous chase. Are there any?

Anonymous said...

All this chatter aside; This is about nothing more than the mayor of Jackson wanting a no-chase policy that will conceal the reality of his town as a thug-city. Stop the chase at the Hinds County line and there's nothing to report or read about. That's Chocwe's objective - His talk aside.

NON bottle, brick, or rock thrower. said...

Those darn, pesky FACTS always gets Kennuff confused.

Anonymous said...

One would think that a good strategy would be to chase the fleeing criminals INTO Jackson and have JPD waiting until the crooks blew a tire and rim on all the damn potholes.

Anonymous said...

No, that wouldn't be more impressive.

Anonymous said...

@2:52 PM - I would bet you good money that JPD will chase a criminal into another community if that is needed to apprehend a criminal. I appreciate the work the JPD does to apprehend criminals, and their catch and lock up record is pretty good - and then the court system in Jackson releases them. That sad fact is not the fault of JPD.


I seem to remember cases where JPD chased someone into Ridgeland or pearl, whatever. No stink was raised and Ridgeland, etc helped to catch the criminal when they could.


The problem is the mayor, Kenneth Stokes and the Jackson/Hinds County court system. Sad - disgustingly Sad

Anonymous said...

Rankin County has many lawmen with more balls than political correctness.

Good on the chief for having the nutts to put it in writing!

Anonymous said...

JPD doesn’t pursue. So I will take that bet.

Anonymous said...

The cost to Walmart of the 2 televisions exceeded $220. Go get 'em back.

Anonymous said...

"I would bet you good money that JPD will chase a criminal into another community if that is needed to apprehend a criminal."

Your statement is not correct. JPD has an official pursuit policy that allows pursuits in only extremely limited circumstances. Moreover, in practice JPD has a "no pursuit" policy. Officers get suspensions without pay for pursing suspects.

You are incorrect also when you say it is not the fault of JPD. The pursuit policy is set by the Chief. However, it is accurate to say that it is not the fault of the JPD officers. Their hands are tied.

Pursuits policies for good reason have become more restrictive nationally. But not surprisingly Jackson's pursuit policies are the most restrictive around.

Anonymous said...

Chase all you want, just remember the lawsuit and blood are on your hands.

Anonymous said...

Just reported on WAPT, Vicksburg man indicted on two counts of murder for killing two innocent people when he crashed into their vehicle while fleeing police. The police got their man! He goes to jail, they received the death penalty. Any of you who believes in chase the criminal no matter the consequences feel it is worth it. Think the two families who lost loved ones feel it is worth it. Google police work can catch the perpetrators later, lives cannot be replaced!
.

Anonymous said...

With the exception of the, I think it was 2, rapists, none of the other offenses seem serious enough to endanger other drivers, in my opinion. I lived in Richland for 14 years and if they ever so much as stop you for a minor traffic violation, you are on their radar. They watch for you, look for you. Profiling seems to be a requirement, and I'm white. Of course, I haven't lived there in several years so it may have changed, but I seriously doubt it.

Anonymous said...

Police officers sees suspect. Suspect has a record. Police officer can't identify suspect from mugshots and pull record to arrest suspect?


Peggy Wilks was killed on County Line road waiting for the light at the shopping center where she bought Christmas gifts for children who wouldn't get any otherwise. Police were chasing teens who stole a car and chased it right into Peggy.


Jamie Boyle was waiting at a stoplight at lunch hour when police chased a woman who just tried to forge a check . They chased the woman down Ridgewood past two schools before she hit Jamie.


A teenage boy didn't stop when the police officer wanted to write him a speeding ticket. He must have been afraid his parents would be mad. He was killed in the chase.

A fellow student offered a girl in his class a ride home in his new car. She was an honor student and pretty and he did sports and was cute. No one knew he had or would ever steal a car until the crash that killed the girl.

In the last few months a nurse and a grandmother were innocent victims of police chases.


Instead of forming an opinion from movies and television, you might research why experts in law enforcement recommend a clear policy and plans for police chases that are well understood and coordinated statewide. You can read sound policies, plans and implementation that reduce the chance of deaths...of officers and suspects and more importantly, innocent bystanders.

Those of you who are pro life, surely you don't think property is more important than innocent life? Why that would be extraordinarily hypocritical.

Anonymous said...

Richland's top cop talks a tough game, but let's see if his department is in compliance with Miss Code 45-1-43, requiring departments to have a written policy addressing situations in which police pursuits cross over into other jurisdictions. Currently, state law authorizes any cop to chance a crook across the country, so long as it's a hot pursuit. Should the Richland tax payer really be footing the bill for these intrastate expeditions? The department has a duty to have a written policy that limits this blank check... a blank check that the Richland tax payer has signed and dated.

Anonymous said...

Victims of police chases? Not hardly. Victims of criminals who ran from police.

Anonymous said...

@10:31
If you are a victim does it really matter by whose hands? We can’t expect the criminal to use common sense, we do expect the police to use restraint and protect us.

Anonymous said...

^^^10:31

Fleeing criminals who cause fatalities should be severely charged with those deaths.

Anonymous said...

If the chief wants to go down this road, it would be nice if he gave a complete accounting of all his department's pursuits instead of cherry picking cases and details. If this is all the information he has access to then he is severely lacking as a commanding officer. Personally, I would prefer the chief to stay in his lane and just enforce the laws as they are written instead of taking to Facebook to get all up in the politics/drama.

Anonymous said...

@10:31
Still doesn’t bring back a loved one.

Anonymous said...

12:06 As a matter of fact, fleeing criminals are charged with the consequences of a high speed chase. And it's got to be a great comfort to the families of the innocent bystanders who get killed or injured.

Anonymous said...

I cannot believe that there are people who are ok with losing a loved one in a police pursuit. The thought that any minor offense justifies the use of deadly force and as long as the criminal is caught and prosecuted then the loss of innocent live is the price we should be willing to pay. Those of you who think this way don’t value your or your loved ones lives very much. The apprehension of NO criminal or recovery of ANY property is worth the life of my child !!

Anonymous said...

2:43 I’m willing to take that chance... for the betterment of ‘our’ society.

Anonymous said...

9:36, the policy is not “extremely limited.” JPD’s policy allows for chasing when dealing with any violent offense, not property crimes. It also allows for JPD to assist with chases into Jackson if a supervisor approves it.

I wouldn’t call that “extremely limited.” The mayor is wrong when he says the city (and by extension, JPD) has a no-pursuit policy.

Anonymous said...

10:36 pm The limits were the result of Jimmy Fowler's daughter's death over the not successfully forged check.
It is limited in that a well-thought out plan includes better and more effective cooperation within the county and statewide. It also should include state-wide training in pursuit tactics that are more effective than an one officer instigating a chase and being joined by others that hear a chase is " on".

Anonymous said...

@2:11 Personally, I would prefer the chief to stay in his lane and just enforce the laws as they are written instead of taking to Facebook to get all up in the politics/drama.

I guess you don't like it when civil servants take up for themselves or others in their profession. People can go online, talk to the press and use any number of other avenues to trash the Police. I say Good Job, Chief and Thank You President Trump for showing everyone we have First Amendment rights too. Gotta love that man's use of Twitter!



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