Several members of the Tate County NAACP interrupted a meeting of the Senatobia Board of Alderman to voice concerns regarding what one representative described as “an escalation of police violence in the community.”
Even though Mayor Greg Graves pointed out the group was not preapproved for the meeting’s agenda Tuesday, June 4, a few members took the liberty to speak anyway.
“On behalf of the NAACP and with respect to the Board, we made a formal request to speak and be part of the agenda with the proper protocol,” said spokesman Patrick Alexander. “We just received notice today from the city clerk that we were not going to be on the agenda so by that time we didn’t have time to prepare not to be here.”
In May, two teenage girls were charged with disorderly conduct and simple assault on an officer after hitting a policeman several times in the Senatobia Housing Authority. According to a police report, the girls were yelling obscenities at officers while they were investigating a shooting in the area.
“We have been having an influx and a problem with police escalation of violence in our community and we are very concerned about it,” Alexander explained. “We feel like the Board should be concerned about it and we have not been getting that type of feedback from our Board. Not even from the alderman that represents our ward.”
Alexander’s comments drew ire and a fiery response from Ward 3 Alderman Allen Tanksley.
“You are saying what you are going to say but you don’t have to put me in there saying I’m not doing this, and I am not doing that,” Tanksley said. “I have talked to you in private and I am talking to you in person now. You are out of line saying I am not representing my community. Don’t do that. I have talked to people in my community, and I am for the people in my community.”
Alexander requested a time in the future for concerned citizens to sit down with aldermen to discuss what he described as a “proliferation of excessive police force”.
“I just want to make it public that we are making efforts to talk about this,” Alexander said. “It seems as though the city is not concerned.”
Each alderman was given an opportunity to review video and police body camera footage of the May incident in the Senatobia Housing Authority.
“I’ve watched every video you guys are concerned about,” said Alderman Demetrius Garrett. “Most of the videos, it was disrespectful kids. Somebody being disrespectful and not listening. And that starts at home.”
Someone in the crowd responded, “you’re thinking wrong, brother”.
“No, I am not thinking wrong. I am telling you what I saw,” Garrett responded. “If you follow the law then there won’t be a problem. I am listening to your concerns, but I see with my own eyes what is going on. I grew up in “New Town”. I am not blind. So how can you tell me something I don’t see? You can’t.”
After several more minutes of back-and-forth heated conversation between Garrett, Tanksley and citizens, the regular business meeting carried on as usual.
Several items were approved on the consent agenda including:
• Approved minutes from the regular mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting on May 21, 2024.
• Approved docket of claims numbers: 34098 – 34272 for a total of $370,084.39.
• Authorized FLSE/PIO Chantay Rhone to attend the Emergency Management Institute (FEMA) Public Information Basic Class in Franklin, Tenn., Aug. 19-21, 2024 (no cost to the city).
• Authorized Fire Inspector Brevin Holden to attend Fire Inspector 1031-II on Sept. 29 – Oct. 3, 2024, at the Mississippi State Fire Academy and pay registration and travel expenses.
• Authorized fireman Butch Sowell to attend Instructor I-II on June 3-14, 2024, at the Mississippi Fire Academy in Oxford and pay travel expenses.
• Authorized police Chief Richard Chandler to attend the MLEOA training on June 2-7, 2024, in Biloxi and authorized travel expenses.
• Authorized police officer Justin Steelandt to attend the MLEOA Firearms training on June 2-7, 2024, in Biloxi and authorized travel expenses.
• Authorized police officer Pierre Stinson to attend the NASRO Basic Certification Course on July 7-12, 2024, in Biloxi and authorized to pay registration and travel expenses.
• Authorized to hire Joseph Wimberly as a seasonal employee for the Public Works Gas Department.
• Set a public hearing to be held on July 2, 2024 for an amendment to section 404 of the zoning ordinance to add a timeframe for submitting permits and completion of projects.
