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Embattled Flomaton Police Chief Back On The Force — As A Patrolman
November 23, 2010
A week after Flomaton’s mayor called for the town’s police chief to be fired, he has returned to work in a lower position.
“He will back at work as a patrolman,” Mayor Dewey Bondurant said Monday afternoon about former chief Katarius Jenkins, who was scheduled to report to work at 7:00 this morning.
Last Tuesday, Bondurant said Jenkins quit and then asked his town council to fire him, but none of the council members would make such a motion.
Jenkins said Mayor Dewey Bondurant (pictured ) fired him on Friday, November 12, but the mayor said he did not.
“Our police chief quit,” the mayor said during a special council meeting November 16. “He said that I fired him, but I didn’t. But since he didn’t come to work Monday, I assume he’s fired now.”
“For the record, I didn’t quit,” Jenkins told the council last week. “It was an issue about an employee that the mayor wanted me to fire. He said the guy didn’t do anything wrong, but if I couldn’t handle it, he would. So I felt that if the guy didn’t do anything wrong, why fire him.” Jenkins, who was out of the town Friday during his conversation with the mayor about the employee, said he asked the mayor it to “handle it”.
Jenkins (pictured) referred NorthEsambia.com’s request for comment to Andalusia (Ala.) attorney Allen G. Woodward. Woodward represented Jenkins on behalf of the Southern States Police Benevolent Association.
“It’s always good when reasonable people can come to a reasonable solution whether or not they may have a problem,” Woodward said of Jenkins’ agreement with the town of Flomaton. “I don’t think anybody is in disagreement that the primary concern here is the well being of people of Flomaton.”
The Flomaton Town Council was scheduled to hold an employment hearing for Jenkins Monday night, but that hearing was canceled after the agreement was reached between Jenkins and the town.
Bondurant said he has a candidate in mind for police chief that must first be approved by the town council.
Pictured top: Flomaton Police Chief Katarius Jenkins addresses the Flomaton Town Council Tuesday night. Pictured top inset: Flomaton Mayor Dewey Bondurant. Pictured middle inset: Jenkins listens as the council discusses his future with the town. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
39 Responses to “Embattled Flomaton Police Chief Back On The Force — As A Patrolman”
Check the pay on Jenkins, he is still getting paid the same as a patrolman as when he was Chief. WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
not as long as you think that through is spelled threw…unless of course you are actually wanting the TOF to sling you through the academy, to which I would say they can certainly afford to do that…
Hey now that the town is saving a little more money think they can afford to send someone like me threw the Academy????????????
REGARDING:
“when you get into political offices you are wide open for everyone to slander you and your name”
Which is part of the reason the best don’t go into politics. I’d even be in trouble it they just told the TRUTH! say nothing of what they could make up.
David thinking things could be worse
—and likely will be
Go for it Dewey…rights right….wrong is wrong. You were elected…none of the commentors below. Flomaton does need a good chief of Police though…lets find one and put him to work….
Mr Green, I agree with you but when you get into political offices you are wide open for everyone to slander you and your name.
I don’t often post in these matters but,escambia reader hit the nail right on the head.Thank you for posting this.People often don’t see both sides of the story,and it is easy to blame and point fingers.It also amazes me how many post i see on negative stories,yet when there is positive things to read about,no one has anything to say.Let’s just let this story rest now .It’s Thanksgiving,and i believe there are a lot of things even the citizens of Flomaton can be thankful for.Happy Holidays to all.
Part of the price of open government is that some decisions come to light which do not make all look like supermen.
In general, that is a good thing because we are NOT supermen, not even our leaders.
David for the heat associated with light
To escambia reader
This is one of the best posts that I’ve read.
I don’t know if what you are saing is the law but it does sound like it and you are right………no business wants to locate here when you are in the paper squabbling over matters that shouldn’t have been in the paper in the first place.
“Just because you are elected into office in a small town, DOES NOT give you complete control of everything,…”
This is in fact wrong, The Mayor and Council does have complete control of the Town and its business. They do not have control of the actual police matters, i.e. arrests, tickets, court proceedings, etc. This issue is a personnel matter and should be handled as such.
The fact in this matter is that both Mayor Bondurant and Officer Jenkins made mistakes in this and the Council has been forced to make corrections. A new officer was hired by Jenkins without checking his references. When the information of the officer’s past actions came to light Mayor Bondurant instructed Jenkins to terminate the officer. An employee can be terminated during their 6 month probationary period for any reason. Jenkins may have been right in that the officer had not done anything wrong in Flomaton, but was wrong in that the references should have been checked and employment can be terminated.
The Mayor, as Chief Operating Officer, does have the authority to hire and fire the employees of the Town. This, historically, has been done by the Department Heads, but the Mayor has the ultimate responsibility. The employees have the option of appealing to the Council. The Council hires and fires the Town Officers, i.e. Town Clerk, Police Chief, Superintendent, and Fire Chief. The Mayor can fire a Town Officer, but the issue must be reviewed by the Council and either upheld or overturned.
Jenkins needs to remember that whether he is the Chief or not, he still has a boss and he must follow instructions and procedures. Mayor Bondurant needs to remember that the employees are people and should be talked to in a way that he would like to be talked to.
Is Flomaton currently the “laughing stock of the County”? Yes, and will likely stay that way until changes are made. The Town needs to hire quality personnel and pay them a first class salary, then expect them to deliver first class service. If they do not deliver, get someone else. Let the employees run the day to day operations and the Council and Mayor work on development. No business wants to locate in an area that has this type stories dominating the local news.
ms maggie seems to know mayor bondurant quite well for her to say that on a public forum. just don’t turn your back on the mayor if you don’t want it stabbed is what it looked like she was saying……..if I’m wrong correct me.
now lets all go eat lunch and have some free barbque. Maybe chief Jenkins will be able to get his lunch as well.
OK….Bottom line…..Chief Jenkins was doing a fine job with what he had to work with…if the Mayor wanted someone fired, he needed to present the evidence in writing, because really it’s just he said, he said…..If Jenkins had been properly addressed with the written evidence, I am pretty sure things would have turned out diffrent. The Mayor of Flomaton and the council are not Law Enforcement, therefore they need to let trained law enforcement handle the problems. Just because you are elected into office in a small town, DOES NOT give you complete control of everything, the officers have been through many hours of training in many diffrent areas and are qualified, and certified to do this job….I believe most law enforcement officers LOVE what they are doing, with the pay they recieve, why would anyone put their life on the line everyday for such low pay? Just because you dont like someone Mr Mayor, you can’t fire them…your actions are being watched and the way you treat people will be hard to explain when you are standing before our Lord….Please let these men and women do their jobs…leave them alone and you just might be surprised at how well it will be handled….do your job…get the town out of the huge debt they are in!!!!! Just sayin….
WELL…..
Sounds like a good old boy….red neck….predjudice….soap opera to ME……
YOU ALL LOOK LIKE FOOLS!
Maggie wrote: The county is sitting on the edge of their chairs, waiting for the next episode in the Flomaton saga.
Doesn’t anyone care that we are the laughing stock?
Speaking of County, I discussed the problem between the Mayor and Jenkins with a County Official and there was a good reason to fire the employee. The employee did something that made the Mayor question his reliability. I won’t say what he did because it hasn’t been made available to the media and they might not want it to be.
After this the Mayor found out that the employee had flaws in his past and the Chief is responsible for running a background check before hiring an employee. Where the Mayor dropped the ball, was being arrogant and not presenting the reason to Jenkins. The arrogance factor is why the people want the Mayor out of office.
Maggie is both right and wrong.
need clarification…Ms Maggie Silbernagel… It sounds as though you are saying that if people are against the mayor he will make sure to make things hard for them. Sort of like spitefull revenge. Is this so, if not please clarify. This is the way some are taking the threat, and if it is this way, wouldn’t that show he does not have what it takes to be a fair mayor and have everyones best interest at heart. When in such a position, the mayor needs not to take sides but to keep neutral in order to keep peace so that the town is not held in an uproar all the time. There is too much diversity in the world today that not everyone is going to like everyone else. And to be an adult you would need to understand this, especially an adult ina political position in a small town. It is however entertaining in a sad way. All these problems can be resolved and some even avoided.
I guess thats how they get out of paying unemployment by refusing to fire you after they said they fired you, so now he is back in but not chief and doesnt get unemployment. Somehow, that doesn’t sound legal
The county is sitting on the edge of their chairs, waiting for the next episode in the Flomaton saga.
Doesn’t anyone care that we are the laughing stock?
Mayor Bondurant has done a fine job as mayor. I am very sure not many could do as well as he has done.
I have a word of warning for those who seek his demise; what goes around comes around. It would be wise to treat him, as you want to be treated.
You will be treated as you are treating him. Just the way it is!
get rid of Bondurant he is a crook !!!! i have seen it with my own eyes……. Jenkins maybe u should run for Mayor when its time,,,,,, who knows u may get it anyone will get it but BONDURANT iam afraid he doesnt have many friends left !good luck Jenkins hope you get everything Town of Flomaton ownes!
Frank Beasley and Dewey don’t get along so why would Bondurant hire him as the Chief? Would Beasley be a “yes” man? I don’t think so……..
I think its time for Flomaton to ask Dewey for his resignation. He has done nothing for the town and his actions speak louder than words. Let the ax fall people.
I think that CHIEF jenkins is still getting the rotten end of the stick. Yea, he still have a job sometthing that most FLORIDIANS and ALABAMIANS don’t have but in some sense bondurant is still having his way. On white paper in black ink, im pretty sure his title has been DEMOTED to patrolman and his PAYCKECK has been DEMOTED to patrolman, but I’m willing to bet ya that he still has CHIEF duties. Let bondurant be chief with mayor pay.. thats an idea. But Jenkins hold your head up. You kill people like bondurant with kindness, because any little thing you do he’S going to find a problem with it because YOU STOOD YOUR GROUNDS. If your not a praying person, start praying. If you are a praying person, dont stop. My pastor always told me that everytime you’re going through a trial and you know that your doing all you can do for the good, then GOD is about to elevate you so dont let bondurant steal your joy. Even if you had began to not like bondurant ask GOD for forgivness, because you are blocking your elevation and your blessings, and always remember: NO WEAPON FORMED AGANIST YOU SHALL PROSPER!!!!!! GOD WILL MAKE YOUR ENEMIES YOUR FOOT STOOL. REMENBER THAT AND PRAY. IN THE END YOU WILL HAVE THE VICTORY AND A TESTIMONY
The first thing that needs to happen is that the Town of Flomaton needs to get together and get Bondurant out of the Mayor seat. He is a disgrace.
Most of you posting on here are delusional…Dewey Bondurant, Jr. has done MUCH more for the Town of Flomaton than the current (former) police chief. Just because a few people have posted on here in objection to the firing of the chief does NOT mean that the majority of the citizens of Flomaton object to Dewey as the Mayor of Flomaton.
Mr Green–I was not trying to make it a “race thing”. It is odd that the mayor keeps having problems and they some times look like race COULD be the problem.
This is probably not the end of this story. Police officers have rights and a proper protocol must be followed when applying discipline and terminating a employee.
The law enforcement field is not like working at McDonalds.
Ok Citizens of Flomaton U guys should learn something from your other Neighbor Brewton….Several years ago another Chief was forced to resign…It had alot of Ramifications..But oh well ,The Mayor is flat wrong and the people of Flomaton should be ashamed……
I wouldn’t doubt that the former chief quit but then had second thoughts after his brain kicked in because he would miss out on unemployment benefits. Does this sound possible? You make the call.
Frank Beasley???? God help us.
I have lived in Century all my life and have recently moved to Flomaton. Regardless what you believe Century may be halfway crazy but, the best thing that happened was for the County Law enforcement took over. No one in Century has to try and fine someone else in the town, that the people may not like, to run the police in Century. If Flomaton cannot get it together that may be the best thing for Flomatom also. If Flomaton cannot find a mayor that actually wants to work for the good of Flomaton that is where Flomaton is headed for. The County Law Enforcement.
looks like the good ole boy system is still alive and well!!!!!!!!!!!!
Flomaton is starting to act like like it’s cousin, Century!
Dewey wants Frank Beasley, now there’s a chief for Flomaton
I don’t live in Flomaton. It looks like a mess of a mayor they have in Flomaton. That’s just my opinion from what I’ve read. Hopefully, the citizens of Flomaton can remember all of this when they go to the polls next time.
The people of Flomaton need to look at it this way…Mayor Bondurant DID NOT GET HIS WAY., Mayor Bondurant wanted Chief Jenkins fired……Now Chief Jenkins has less Responsibility with about the same amount of money plus the satsifaction of knowing the people were/are behind him and not the Mayor.
Wonder who Dewey has in mind 2 take his place?
some people always have a racist viewpoint if any conflict involves any black people.
Sometimes a dispute is just a dispute.
sounds like small town good ole boy CRAP!!
Why do I hear “Just good old boys” in the back ground and see BOSS HOG the mayor in his white out fit. Or is it a case of “get out there and chop that cotton boy” being ordered by the master of the plantation. The people of Flomaton need to take a hard look at who was and has done the best job for the people of Flomaton. A young chief or and old mayor who likes to pull strings and and control everyone.
Let me get this one straight.The guy that was the chief is no longer the chief,but however he is doing the same job for alot less money. Way to go Dewey looks like the town is saving money starting this week.What I want to know is who is the chief now? A new cowboy to clean up the mean streets of Flomaton perhaps.Im standing by on this one.A.W THOMPSON MOSQUITO FLATS,FLORIDA