Jackson Jambalaya

 Lawsuit claims Jackson Mayor made above statement about JPD

A federal lawsuit paints a rather unflattering picture of the Jackson Police Department during the tenure of Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba.  Former JPD Deputy Chief Tina Wallace sued Mayor Lumumba, JPD Chief James Davis, and the city of Jackson for sex discrimination and retaliation yesterday. 

Ms. Wallace joined JPD in 1993. She worked her way through the ranks until she became Deputy Chief of Administration under Chief James Davis.  Her problems allegedly began when an employee tried to claim a large amount of deferred time.

The manager of the 911 center said she had 281 hours of deferred time she wanted to use. She also claimed JPD denied her the use of her comp time. Another employee alleged the manager had someone else punch her time clock for her. Wallace opened an investigation. A Commander accused Wallace of harassing the manager with the EEO Officer even though the Deputy Chief had not yet completed her investigation. Wallace had to answer the complaint in writing. She determined a JPD officer was punching the time clock for the manager and submitted her findings. The Commander later withdrew the complaint.

She alleged JPD Command staff  interfered with her as she performed her duties.   Pastor Terri Moore chaperoned a command staff meeting in October 2018 "due to the tension that existed amongst the executive command staff." Wallace "complained Assistant Chief Ricky Robinson interfered with her carrying out her duties while ignoring the male deputy chiefs."  

Ervin Bradley ("Hondo Lumumba") called the Deputy Chief on December 17, 2018. Either Ms. Wallace engaged in an elaborate fabrication or she recorded the phone call. The complaint states:

 I'm very, very impressed. I'm very happy with the work you' re doing. I'm extremely impressed and you ... I have peace that there is competence going on. I have peace that - you know - real work is happening." 

 17. Lumumba continued: "Understand this ... that, you know, because of whatever history or whatever part of history ... Well, first and foremost, all before me ... the part of history that I don't understand anything about. You got people that are gunning for you. Right ... and people will continue to do that. Some people will never have peace in their spirit about you... And what I will say is this, continue to do what you' re doing. Right ... just always remember as you communicate and as you do things upright, that your communication is sound that even your detractors at the end of the day, that people who are watching can never say anything negative about you... And the reason I say that is because you' re not doing anything you don't need to be doing and that you shouldn't be doing. And I'm actually happy with what you' re doing. You have a skill set that can ultimately make you chief. Right...Now, the reality is this ... and im an (sic) be honest as a man. Right. I know that your path to that is harder than most men. Right ... because there are things that you have to do in leadership positions that anybody would need to do, but just because yo u' re a woman, they gone give you more hell about it. Right ... and that 's the reality. That' s the reality and we got to confront this world that's like that." 

 18.        "But ...  but ultimately, I just want you to keep that in your mind because I would like to ...  you know ...  when you become chief ... you know.  I want to be there with you. Right ...  and  ...  and smiling  with you  knowing  that ...  that  nobody 's  silliness  because you' re serious about your work, cause you' re intelligent, because you think, and because you're passionate that nobody  uses  that against you... But ...  but ...  but this isn' t for .. . Don't you worry about anything.   I'm  fully with you.   I fully think you're doing a good job,  but you're going to have those little whispers. Just like I got whispers. We all have whispers.   Right."

19.       Lumumba explained: "[i]n all honesty and understand  that ...  that I'm  a man of faith ...  you know.  Ah, and I try to choose my words carefully.  My father told me ...  you know ...  I don' t care what words you use, so long as it effectively communicates what is within your heart.   With that being said, I have learned that so many within the Jackson Police Department are full of shit ...  Right.. .Just to be honest with you, and I won' t say that the majority.    It' s just so many clicks.   It's a difficult environment  to navigate ... Right.  So, I can see you' re  never going to satisfy everybody and that shouldn't be your goal."

Strong words (allegedly) in support of the Deputy Chief.  However, the rocky road continued for Tina Wallace as turmoil enveloped JPD.  

Ms. Wallace says Mayor Lumumba required all patrol officers and detectives to meet with him in February and March 2019 at various times.   Consultants met with the command staff in April to discuss complaints made in those sessions.  Mayor Lumumba allegedly told the JPD civilian employees on May 3, 2019 that changes were coming to JPD. 

The 2019 Memorial Day will be a day of infamy at JPD for years to come . A JPD officer committed suicide after a mother accused him of having sex with her under-age daughter in a patrol car.  A press conference was held about the suicide.  The Mayor and his brain trust held a meeting with all deputy chiefs after the presser.  Mayor Lumumba allegedly said: 

 sworn and civilian personnel complained that the deputy chiefs lacked interpersonal skills; that deputy chiefs were telling employees if they don' t like it, they can leave; deputy chiefs were back-stabbing each other and not playing as  a  team;  there  was  no  vision  of  leadership;  deputy  chiefs  were  not  treating  their subordinates with respect; deputy chiefs were retaliating against their subordinates; deputy chiefs  engaged  in  nepotism  and  favoritism  (while   mentioning  " Hondo"   wasn' t  his biological uncle); deputy chiefs told their subordinates they were receiving directives from Lumumba; and deputy chiefs were not owning up to their directives. (KF note: Several of the deputies were sergeants in their highest previous rank.   They were promoted to deputy chief after Mayor Lumumba had former Chief Anthony Moore run off former Chief Lee Vance's command staff.)

29.       Lumumba  stated  he  was  not  going  to  share  specific  complaints.    Lumumba, however,  demanded  all  deputy  chiefs  resign  by May  31,  2019 and  serve in an  interim capacity.     Pursuant  to  Lumumba' s  directive,  Wallace,  under  duress,  submitted   her resignation on May 29, 2019.  Like the male deputy chiefs, Wallace continued to serve in her position as " inter im" deputy chief of administration.

30.       During the week of August 5 -  10, 2019, all deputy chiefs and commanders were ordered to submit their applications/resumes for their interim positions.....

The re-application process did indeed happen.  Several JPD officers informed JJ about it at the time. However, Ms. Wallace continued to butt heads with one Ricky Robinson (FIGJAM).  

A police recruit managed to enter a training class despite a criminal background as well as gang and drug "affiliation."  Chief Davis ordered his Deputy Chief of Administration to investigate.  Ms. Wallace found videos of the recruit with weapons, large rolls of money, gang signs, and marijuana plants.  MLEOTA said JPD had enough evidence to remove him from the class.  However, the recruit remained in the class - until Ms. Wallace discovered he stole JPD patches during the trainees' tour of the supply unit.  

Wallace also denied a police recruit's application because of sexual misconduct charges that took place while he was in the military.  However, Deputy Chief Robinson scheduled an interview with him.  Although Deputy Chief Wallace should have been present, Robinson replaced him with Lumumba crony, Deputy Chief Vincent Grizzell. Chief Davis stopped the interview when he learned it was taking place.  

Problems developed with yet another potential recruit who was a civilian employee. Deputy Chief Wallace recommended rejecting Xavier Hill's application. The applicant had been allegedly caught stealing property from the impound yard during work hours.  She accused Deputy Chief Robinson of whiting out her denial and changing it to an approval.  Deputy Chief Robinson berated her for telling a Commander to file an affidavit against the alleged thief.  The fun really broke out between the two Deputy Chiefs the next day.

37.       On or about Friday, October 4, 2019, Robinson ordered Wallace to submit a memo about the October 3, 2019 meeting in his office.  Wallace submitted the memo and accused Robinson  of  retaliating  against  her  because  of  her  recommendations  regarding  male applicants and male employees.   Robinson accused Wallace of insubordination.  Wallace was subjected to an Internal Affairs investigation.  Robinson was not required to submit to an Internal Affairs investigation after Wallace reported he granted an interview to a male whos application had been rejected and he
altered the background cover sheet of Xavier Hill's application.

WLBT reported Hill was once convicted of aggravated assault.

The former Deputy Chief was not done dishing the dirt: 

 39.       On or about Friday, December  20, 2019, Wallace confronted Sergeant Kimberly Brown ("Brown") after she received complaints about the sergeant's disappearances and/or extended  lunch  breaks with her alleged  boyfriend,  Jackson  Fire Department  Fire Chief Willie Owens.    On or about January  9, 2020, Tamarra Bowie, a City of Jackson Equal Employment  Opportunity  Officer,  sent  Wallace  a  memorandum  regarding  a  complaint Brown filed against Wallace after Wallace changed Brown's duty hours.

The Deputy Chief became the former Deputy Chief after the Mayor summoned her to a meeting at City Hall on January 10: 

41.       During the meeting in Lumumba' s office, Lumumba told Wallace he was accepting her letter of resignation she submitted  under duress on May 29, 2019.   Lumumba asked Davis, who appeared via a telephone conference, if there was anything he wanted to say. Davis started to talk about a vote that had been taken against Wallace.  Lumumba cut Davis off and changed the subject.   Wallace asked Lumumba what, if anything, she had done to warrant his decision to remove her as a deputy chief in the absence of a recommendation by Davis , her immediate supervisor.   Lurnumba never provided Wallace with a reason for her removal.  Lumumba did not accept the resignations of any of the male deputy chiefs.

Ms. Wallace charges the defendants with sex discrimination,  retaliation, tortious interference with her right to work, and constructive discharge.  She seeks back pay, reinstatement, compensatory damages, and punitive damages. 

Attorney Lisa Ross represents Ms. Wallace. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Kristi Johnson. 

The city of Jackson settled a sex discrimination lawsuit with Ms. Wallace several years ago for  $75,000.