Tarrant city councilman Tommy Bryant previously came under fire for calling the same mayor he is accused of attacking a "house n----r" during a council meeting. In response to the alleged instance of misconduct that Bryant described, in which he said Newton challenged him to a fight, Newton said, Im a 40-year-old Black man with an Ivy League degree and I graduated from a top-10 law school. What happened is that he wanted me to bring him, on a Tuesday, he wanted by Friday, every personnel file from the police department. Newton, who has called a 10 a.m. press conference at Tarrant City Hall, on Thursday released this statement: The former Police Chief of Tarrant, Dennis Reno, was unwilling to stop the discriminatory practice of not hiring African American officers, which under my administration is unacceptable., There was a verbal disagreement about this between myself and Mr. Reno in my office on November 3, 2020 in which Mr. Reno is alleging that I slammed his arm in a door. Newton said he helped solidify an internal affairs office to keep track of any alleged police misconduct. Im in charge of employees, he told The Daily Beast. Police | Tarrant, AL Police Call 911 in case of emergency. Sources say former Police Chief Dennis Reno pressed charges against the new mayor in connection to an incident between the two that happened after Newton was sworn into office. The Black 41-year-old claimed the mayor has also made other positive changes in the city, such as starting a farmers market, providing greater access to the community center, and feeding the poorest city residents. Hes lying, Reno said of the mayor. This is the official Facebook page for the Tarrant Police Department located within Jefferson County, Alabama.. Tarrant Police Department | Tarrant City AL Meanwhile, white drivers made up about 30 percent of stops in 2019, and 27 percent of stops in 2020, numbers that are a bit lower than their 34 percent share of the population. Site Map. Newton on Thursday said Majors record of service proves hes the right man for the job and said he looks forward to having him as the departments chief. Newton graduated from the Alabama School of Fine Arts, then earned a political science degree at the University of Pennsylvania and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. He said he hopes to succeed in that endeavor. That is all that was said. who left the position in November 2020 after a run-in with Newton, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. In an ever-evolving city and police department, Deputy Chief Criado embraces new challenges and change. Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton was arrested June 16, 2021 on a misdemeanor assault charge against the city's former police chief. He returned to Birmingham to practice law, specializing in real estate. He said the accusations about the supposed threats on Bryants life were not worth responding to. People have been trying to throw obstacles in my way. Do you really think that I would say something like that at a public meeting?. Asked how him being arrested for assault is different than the arrest of the former fire chief, Newton said, This is a misdemeanor. Fax: 817-249-4803. And Mayor Newton is trying to correct the things that had been so bad about the city of Tarrant from the previous administrationlike not having Black officers.. Im in charge of employees, he told The Daily Beast. George confirmed that changes to the department made it so that one officer would be in charge of the internal affairs department, rather than a previous system that would tap an available detective or lieutenant to handle complaints. Theyve blocked him from making what he and some locals describe as needed changes to the police department in a city mostly comprised of Black and Latino residents, he said. Im more than qualified to be the mayor of Tarrant. TCOLE Licensing. For his part, Reno denied any pattern of discriminatory hiring. All rights reserved (About Us). The judge on Friday issued her orders declaring Newton not guilty in both cases. The councilman went on to say longtime city employees were in a hostile situation under Newtons leadership, and accused the mayor of harassing multiple employees, including himself. Reno left the chiefs job shortly after and officially retired Jan. 1, 2021, after 42 years in law enforcement. 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Reno retired after the incident because he said he knew he wouldnt be able to work with the new mayor. elected in 2020 as the citys first Black mayor, assault and other charges after he allegedly pulled a gun on an Atlanta realtor, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. (Jefferson County Jail), At a press conference held Thursday, Newton said Reno was was unwilling to stop the discriminatory practice of not hiring African American officers, which under my administration is unacceptable., There was a verbal disagreement about this between myself and Mr. Reno in my office on November 3, 2020 in which Mr. Reno is alleging that I slammed his arm in a door,' Newton said. Business . ", Newton said he believes its a small number of former employees and former residents stirring up the controversy. Reno denies the claim that he didnt want to hire black officers. Newton, the citys first Black Mayor, praised Majors exemplary record of service. View All All rights reserved (About Us). Newton only acknowledged using foul language one time in private with Bryant, after he said the councilman called him boy. If you know anything about the history of the South and race relations, to have some 75-year-old man calling a 40-year-old Black man a boy is very insulting, Newton said. Im glad that we can finally put that behind me.. 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Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Reno said he goes to physical therapy twice a week because of the injury and may have to undergo surgery. 1133 East Lake Blvd | Tarrant, AL 35217 | 205-849-2800. a municode design. Alabama News Network Staff. A report from the Fort Worth Police Department shows violent crimes dropped by more than 13% in 2022. . He accused Newton of failing to fill important vacant positions in the city, like the city clerk and the chief of police. The chief accused Newton, an attorney, of slamming a door on Reno, causing an injury to Renos shoulder. Tarrant County /QuickLinks.aspx. But also partly due to a concerted effort between Dennis Reno, and city council members, and former city employees trying to get them to actually leave the city to hurt the city and to ultimately hurt my administration, Newton said. Unfortunately, if you look at the city, and if you look at the people who are actually engaged in our politics, the people who make it a point to come and volunteer for our Farmers Market, people who make it a point to volunteer for other.at our rec center, they dont support those individuals. The conversation evolved into a shouting match, Newton said. He is also past national president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. He was released at 4:29 p.m. A call to the Tarrant City Hall and the Mayors Office went unanswered Wednesday afternoon. Find an Ordinance; Apply For a Job; Submit a Bid; Submit a Comment; . Phone: (817) 685-1500 The Euless Police Department provides law enforcement service for the community. He was released at 4:29 p.m. Newton, he said, has been a boon to the city because he recognizes its potential. For further clarity of these information, therefore, visit the website or call 817-276-4700 for more. View more recently sold homes. He never gave me a chance, he told AL.com of the mayor, adding that he had told Newton, I dont hire off race, I hire off qualifications.. Reno on Friday said Newton released only part of the video. The city of Tarrant does not have a police chief or a fire chief at this time. Chief Perry Tarrant has 34 years of law enforcement experience and is a retired captain with the Tucson Police Department and a past assistant chief of the Seattle Police Department. At a press conference held about his arrest, Newton said Reno was was unwilling to stop the discriminatory practice of not hiring African American officers, which under my administration is unacceptable., There was a verbal disagreement about this between myself and Mr. Reno in my office on November 3, 2020, in which Mr. Reno is alleging that I slammed his arm in a door, Newton said. It is like he thinks hes God and he rules this city, she said. 2023 Benbrook Business & Community Showcase (BBCS) View All . He said they are two police officers and two firefighters short but said it is not hindering services to the city. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. There was a verbal disagreement about this between myself and Mr. Reno in my office on November 3, 2020, in which Mr. Reno is alleging that I slammed his arm in a door. Other videos, apparently from the next day, show him using the left arm he allegedly injured to carry files and climb out of his pickup truck. along with contact information, are available now on the wvt13m app. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Money Services Business Registrations; Moter Carriers Tue, Mar 14 . Perry A. Tarrant Full Bio Cerelyn 'CJ' Davis Cerelyn 'CJ' Davis The alleged assault happened on Election Day Nov. 3, 2020 when the two got into a verbal dispute. The mayor has not named replacements for Rickels or Reno. But Reno said he has his own video of the incident and it shows the door being slammed on his elbow. This is the official Facebook page for the Tarrant Police Department located within Jefferson County, Alabama.. Although the numbers dont tell a damning tale, Newton said, Tarrant historically has had a problem.. Tom Green County District Attorney's Office. It is his goal to lead in an environment that fosters mutual respect and understanding, reflective of the professional standards expected from those he serves. I dont take sides between politicians.. She argued that it was clear from watching embarrassing city council meetings every week that he has some enemies. Jones, who currently serves as the chief of Baltimore County Police Department's Community Relations Bureau, was selected through a robust . Newton said hes moving forward with his plans to better the city. The conversation evolved into a shouting match, Newton said. We have lived in the past, he said. My thing is, I was elected to run the city. Wayman Antoninus Newton, 40, is charged with assault in the third degree. Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton told a news conference that former chief Dennis Reno had a discriminatory practice of refusing to hire African Americans as police officers and wouldnt change it. Its like now all hes doing is trying to oppose anything Mayor Newton is doing. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. He is also past national president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. We have people kicking against change and we need change,' she said. Newton denied harassing any city employees. For his part, Newton said most of the criticism by Bryant, Horton, and others who have opposed him is due to the fact that the city used to be run in a way that gave them more decision-making power than he believes they should haveand led to a cycle of stagnation. Newton, an attorney and Tarrants first Black mayor, is accused of slamming a door on Reno, causing an injury to Renos shoulder that may require surgery. Newton, elected in 2020 as the citys first Black mayor, is charged with third-degree assault of former Chief Dennis Reno. Newton late Thursday night posted a series of videos on Facebook, including the one of the alleged assault and others that showed Reno carrying out various activities using his injured arm. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. She argued that it was clear from watching embarrassing city council meetings every week that he has some enemies. I take that job and responsibility very seriously. Taylor, who does not buy the assault charge, said her boyfriend is Black, and that for many in the Black community, it has been an open secret that the Tarrant Police Department had no Black police officers and would routinely pull over Black drivers and find excuses to search their cars. Phone: 817-249-1610. As for Reno, he said he is not yet enjoying retirement because he misses going to work every day. I do not represent the Mayor, Councilor Bryant or any other employee in its individual capacity, he said. Reno left the chiefs job shortly after and officially retired Jan. 1, 2021 after 42 years in law enforcement. I have never said a racist statement to that guy, never made one, and he plays the race card. Give me a break! The mayor said he will address the warrant at a press conference at 10 a.m. Thursday. Newton surrendered to authorities. Newton said the opposition reached its apex last week, when Dennis Reno, the white former chief of police in Tarrant, accused the mayor of assaulting him during a conversation in Newton's. Staff Login X Newton, elected in 2020 as the city's first Black mayor,. Newton, a lawyer who was elected to office last year, was booked in the Jefferson County Jail for 20 minutes Wednesday. Walter Franklin Granger Marshal Walter Granger was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man who had assaulted a boy earlier in the day. During the meeting, Newton said, he confronted Renowho was still chief at the timeover what the mayor claimed was a longstanding practice of not hiring Black police officers in the city. Freddie Rubio, the city attorney of Tarrant, declined to comment on any formal complaints of harassment against Mayor Newton, and did not respond to a subsequent request for comment about whether procedures had been followed in firing employees. Tarrant Police Chief Wendell Major confirms Bryant was arrested Thursday morning on a theft of services charge. Bryant, who is white, also said his opposition to Newton has nothing to do with his race but rather stemmed from Newton trampling on the established ways of doing things and instilling a culture of fear among current and city employees because of his temper. I didnt cuss him back. "All of us at SPD are extremely proud of Chief Perry Tarrant. He never gave me a chance.. Reno did not respond to repeated requests for comment for this story. The Seattle Police Department is honored to announce that Assistant Chief Perry Tarrant was sworn in as the next president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). The alleged assault happened on Election Day Nov. 3, 2020, when the two got into a verbal dispute. Newton was also acquitted on a harassment charge obtained by city council member Tommy Bryant who signed the misdemeanor warrant against him claiming the mayor made, in part, sexually explicit comments about the councilmans wife. During the press conference Thursday, Newton explained his versions of the incident that happened on Nov. 3, 2020. Ft Worth Tarrant County Texas Arrests, Warrants & Most Wanted. He does not plan to resign as mayor even though he fired the former fire chief after he was arrested on an assault charge because he said his own charge is a misdemeanor, and the charge against the former fire chief involved felony charges and a firearm. by George also shared department data with The Daily Beast that showed how, in 2019, Black drivers represented about 58 percent of those stopped by police, and about 55 percent of stopped drivers in 2020. It all came to a head this past week when the former police chief Dennis Reno filed assault charges against Mayor Wayman Newton from an argument that happened on November 3, 2020. Reno left the chiefs job shortly after and officially retired Jan. 1, 2021 after 42 years in law enforcement. Lt. Phillip George of the Tarrant Police Department declined to comment about any alleged policy of not hiring Black officers, as well as the alleged targeting of Black drivers. If you actually go and talk to most people that actually live here in the city, they actually like the things that Im doing.. He said it was created by a former employee and is, for lack of any way else of describing it, its just basically a racist page that smears my name and makes it the point to keep up division in the city., I have the truth behind me,' he said, and the truth is going to set me free.. Joel Kimbrough, who is white, has lived in Tarrant his whole life and owns a printing business there. Tarrant Police Department 2593 Commerce Cir Tarrant, AL 35217 205-849-2811 The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is the police department that serves the area, where Mike Hale is the sheriff. And thats what Ive been doing, he said. Newton said he also started an environmental task force and he is currently working on a project to refurbish and use vacant buildings and on a plan to bring a charter school to the city. Clara Palmore and her husband were also there to support Newton. Reno said he and Newton had only one conversation about the racial makeup of the police force and he told the mayor: I dont hire off race, I hire off qualifications.. And hopefully and once it works its way through the proper channels, those videos will be released to the public,' Newton said. (Newton said the reason the city doesnt have a clerk or police chief is because Bryant and other holdover council members have opposed his choices and instead want to install someone sympathetic to them.). Regular Council Meetings are held Every 1st and 3rd Monday's of each month @ 7PM. Video of the November incident was released by the city attorney Thursday evening. I never had a single complaint against me the entire time I was at Tarrant, about being a racist, Reno continued. Reno sayshe only worked for Newton for two hours. There has been discord in the city since Newton took office, and he says thats because some people are resistant to change. Send it to The Daily Beast here. Laura Horton, 73, who served on the city council for 20 years before losing her re-election bid in 2020, echoed Bryants assessment of Newton. OPEN GOV US GOV US. Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Its my hope that once this video footage is released to the district attorney, theyll make the right decision and see this for what it is just a political stunt, just to smear my name,' Newton said. Newman released video footage of the alleged assault. And thats what Ive been doing, he said. Reminds me of Adolf Hitler., Bryant has served as a councilman for 12 years, and said hes lived in Tarrant for most of his life. Deputy Chief Mike Woods, 55, a 32-year veteran of the division, will serve as interim chief while the city begins a national search for a permanent chief. Whos the racist here? Reno claimed he was injured when Newton slammed a door on him. Bryant said he isnt opposed to changes in the city, but believes Newton is going about things in an aggressive way. He never gave me a chance.', Reno said he told Newton during the only conversation they had about the racial makeup of the police force was, I dont hire off race, I hire off qualifications.. And as I stated before, there is a video of this incident, which will be released to the authorities. The two divisions within the Department, Administrative Services and Operational Services, provide numerous specialized public safety services to the citizens of Hurst. But according to AL.com, he told police last week that Newton slammed a door on his arm and injured him seriously enough that he now needs physical therapy. Taylor, who does not buy the assault charge, said her boyfriend is Black, and that for many in the Black community, it has been an open secret that the Tarrant Police Department had no Black police officers and would routinely pull over Black drivers and find excuses to search their cars. Then I realized that Im here for a reason, and that reason is that I represent all the people that wanted to change the city, but they werent able to change the city,' he said. brittany: weeks after a tarrant councilman used a racial slur during a city meeting, the town's first black police chief wendell major is announc.ed wvtm 13's brea douglas met with him and mayor wayman newton, who nominated major during a racially tense time in tarrant.
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