Jackson Jambalaya

JPD Chief Rashell Brackney announced the arrest of a dispatcher and suspension of a detective suspected of helping criminals at a press conference Friday. 

Chief Brackney said the dispatcher improperly accessed NCIC, diverted police officers from calls, and possibly warned criminals of JPD activity.  Further investigation revealed a detective may be involved as well. The investigation was turned over to MBI.  

 WLBT reported the dispatcher is Taylor Williams.  JPD charged her with accessory after the fact and hindering prosecution. Jackson Municipal Court Judge Louis Coleman set her bond at $100,000.  She was never taken to the Raymond Detention Center. 

Kingfish note: Law enforcement sources said Williams' boyfriend used her car to commit drive-by shootings.   Williams was allegedly in the car during the commission of one of those crimes. A camera caught the car and detectives traced it back to her.  JPD probably didn't send her to Raymond so she wouldn't be killed.   

Transcript 

(While investigating several murders, including one on Wildfire Way) During interviews with persons of interest and witnesses, investigators developed information that raised serious concerns about the possible involvement of a Jackson Police Department EOC 911 dispatcher.

According to the information developed during the investigation, the dispatcher may have used departmental resources to access NCIC, the National Crime Information Center. It is a national law enforcement system to determine whether firearms were reported stolen.

The dispatcher allegedly provided that information to individuals associated with criminal activity who were currently under investigation.

As it progressed, the investigators uncovered additional allegations involving the dispatcher.

The dispatcher may have diverted police officers from calls in a manner that furthered criminal activity involving her known associates.

They developed more information that the identities of undercover officers and investigators may have been improperly disclosed, potentially compromising active investigations and placing our law enforcement personnel at risk.

Based on that information, the Jackson Police Department Robbery/Homicide Division charged the dispatcher with one count of accessory after the fact and another count of hindering prosecution.

The dispatcher was given a $100,000 bond.

However, the investigation did not stop there.

Working in cooperation with JPD federal task force officers, we developed additional information that a Jackson Police Department detective may have also been compromised as part of this investigation.

Upon learning of that information this afternoon, I immediately contacted the District Attorney's office and briefed DA McCullough.

I then contacted Commissioner Sean Tindell and requested that the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation conduct an independent investigation into these allegations.

As a result of that, the detective has been placed on unpaid administrative leave, and all police powers have been suspended pending the outcome of this investigation.

This action is necessary to protect the integrity of the investigation and to ensure that no interference is conducted within the investigative process.

I made the request for an independent investigation because the integrity of our cases, the integrity of this department must come before any individual, regardless of their rank, their position, or their affiliation.

So let me be absolutely clear: Any conduct that compromises an investigation, interferes with the administration of justice, places our officers or members of the public at risk, or undermines the integrity of the Jackson Police Department will not be tolerated.

We will not look the other way. We will not protect anyone because they wear this uniform. We will not allow the actions of an individual to undermine the trust of the women and the men who go out there every day and serve this department and this community.

The Jackson Police Department will follow this investigation to the end, regardless of where the facts lead, regardless of who is implicated, and regardless of the implications for this department.

Our badge does not place us above the law. Our positions do not place us above accountability. Our responsibility is to the citizens. Our responsibility is to the truth, wherever that takes us.

At the same time, I do want to emphasize that these matters remain under investigation. Allegations are not convictions, and every individual is entitled to due process.

We will allow the appropriate investigators and prosecutors to follow the evidence and make determinations based on the facts.

As Chief of Police, my responsibility is to ensure that this investigation is conducted thoroughly, independently, and without interference.

We'll follow those facts, and we will follow this investigation to the end.

The Jackson Police Department remains committed to accountability, transparency, and the highest standards of integrity in law enforcement.

And with that, I will take your questions.

Ross Adams: Chief, did you say the dispatcher had been relieved of their duties?

Chief of Police: The dispatcher has actually been formally charged. And ultimately, yes, that would be relieving them of their duties.

Ross Adams: And did you say the department found out about this initially with the dispatcher while you were investigating another crime?

Chief of Police: That is correct. We were investigating shootings, and again, one of them in the area of Wildfire Way. And then that's when one of our dispatchers were implicated as possibly having knowledge of that crime.

Ross Adams: And do you believe the dispatcher and this detective who's now on this unpaid leave, do you think they were working together?

Chief of Police: I don't speculate, and I will leave that up to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation to make that determination for us on what connections and what other criminal activity may or may not have been conducted.

Ross Adams: How long has this detective been with the department?

Chief of Police: I am not releasing any information about that particular detective. They are on unpaid administrative leave. And again, those are all personnel issues that I won't discuss, and I don't want to compromise this investigation at the very onset of it. That's why we're bringing in other individuals like the District Attorney's office and, with the support of the Commissioner, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.

Reporter: What would you say maybe to the community who might hear something like this and honestly grow concerned for kind of how they view law enforcement or the department?

Chief of Police: So what I would say to them is this: We are being completely transparent the moment we found out about it. We didn't shy away from it. We have had our own dispatchers charged criminally. And if this investigation leads us there, know that the public will know that we will not tolerate any corruption, any criminal activity, regardless of who is the person that is committing it.

And what I would also say to the public is this: As we have that information, we'll bring it to you. We're not going to run from it, and we're not going to hide from it.

Thank you. No further questions?

Thank you so much. Thank you.