", Newton said he believes its a small number of former employees and former residents stirring up the controversy. 2593 Commerce Circle. Because thats the only thing he can come up with.. Video of the November incident was released by the city attorney Thursday evening. He never gave me a chance.. Im glad that we can finally put that behind me.. A day after his arrest, Newman released video footage of the alleged assault. 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. 2023 Benbrook Business & Community Showcase (BBCS) View All . The mayor in April fired Tarrant Fire Chief Jason Rickels, a month after Rickels was arrested in Georgia on assault and other charges after he allegedly pulled a gun on an Atlanta realtor and. Reno left the chiefs job shortly after and officially retired Jan. 1, 2021, after 42 years in law enforcement. All rights reserved (About Us). This is not true, and I fully expect to be exonerated, said Newton. It is like he thinks hes God and he rules this city, she said. 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. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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.. 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. 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. Newton, elected in 2020 as the citys first Black mayor, was arrested June 16, 2021, on the third-degree assault lodged by former police Chief Dennis Reno. I know how things are supposed to be done, he said. SOLD FEB 16, 2023. Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. (Facebook). He explained his version of the events during a phone call with The Tribune. Reno retired after the incident. Deanna Taylor is one of those people. A silver 2005 Subaru Outback matching the description of Tarrant's vehicle was seen by a police unit, and a pursuit was initiated at 1:57 pm. "All of us at SPD are extremely proud of Chief Perry Tarrant. Aziz was awarded the New Zealand Cross, New Zealand's highest award for bravery. 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. Police Dept. Major earned his criminal justice degree from UAB, and his law degree from Birmingham School of Law. For his part, Reno denied any pattern of discriminatory hiring. According to AL.com, Rickels, who is white, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a gun after he allegedly pulled a gun on a Black realtor and photographer at a home he owned in Roswell, Georgia. We have lived in the past, he said. Bryant wondered why Newton wasnt putting himself on leave given the fact that he fired Rickels for his charge. But its the people that hold office in Tarrant thats keeping him from moving forward., She called out the longest-serving councilman, Tommy Bryant, in particular. And so this opportunity and burden has been placed on me and I fully expect to rise to the occasion and face the day.. Video of alleged "assault" on former Tarrant Police chief, Newton surrendered to authorities Wednesday after retired Chief Dennis Reno swore out a warrant, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Theyve been trying to do everything that they could possibly do to discredit me, and as theyve seen, Im not going anywhere,' he said. When he was released, the young mayor posted security-camera videos on Facebook that appear to show Reno leaving the mayors office and calmly closing the door on his way out. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. During his time as mayor, the city has started a low-cost vet clinic, offered food giveaways, and started a new program to help people purchase homes in Tarrant with specialty loans through Regions Bank. He said too many longtime residents of the city long for a version back in the 60s and 70s, when it was a different place. Westlake. Mayor Newton is trying hard for the citizens of Tarrant, she said. The problem is, the four individuals on the council, they know their time is up, Newton said. Newton said the discord has continued. The Tarrant mayor said that at that time the city did not have a single black police officer. Reno said his left elbow was injured in the incident. Fax: 817-249-4803. But he said people like Bryant and Reno are, in effect, stuck in the past: Theyre longing for a time that was.. Kimbrough, 65, said the city has a lot of potential and a significant budget given its size. Trouble continues brewing among Tarrant city officials. But he told The Daily Beast that the police department employs 18 officers. Wendell Major has been chosen as the first Black police chief in Tarrant. Tarrant, AL 35217. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Newton surrendered to authorities Wednesday, a month after Rickels was arrested in Georgia on assault, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Police Department | Mansfield, TX Careers Records & Reports Jail Contact Us Animal Care & Control Compliments/ Complaints Stay Connected Police Newsroom & Events Police Events City Events March 2023 There are no published events in current month. He can look and see what it could be without the historical hindsight of what it was, he said. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. I wasnt even in the hiring process. The former police chief alleged that Newton closed a door in the mayors office on his arm, but the Tarrant mayor called the allegations false. He described one meeting a few months back where he said Newton tried to instigate a fight with him. we post and write thousands of news stories a year, most wanted stories, editorials (under categories - blog) and stories of exonerations. The Ugly War Between a White Police Chief and a Black Mayor in the Deep South A TOWN DIVIDED Wayman Newton Tarrant, Alabama, has been gripped by a saga that some say reflects the rise of a. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. And hopefully and once it works its way through the proper channels, those videos will be released to the public,' Newton said. Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton (Photo by Greg Garrison/AL.com). But Reno said he has his own video of the incident and it shows the door being slammed on his elbow. Kimbrough, 65, said the city has a lot of potential and a significant budget given its size. All rights reserved, Reward Offered as Montgomery County Deputies Hope to Find Woman, Selma Police Investigating Man's Apparent Murder, Montgomery Police Need Help in Homicide Investigation, Montgomery Firefighters Investigating Large Church Fire Near Downtown, Pedestrian Killed in Three-Car Crash in Troy. Wendell Major has been selected, and. The policy that I referred to that Mr. Reno had in place was simple. Newton said that is partly due to better-paying opportunities and partly due to continued angst brought on by the former police chief. There has been discord in the city since Newton took office, and he says thats because some people are resistant to change. All rights reserved (About Us). 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). We appreciate the community's help in keeping everyone safe. 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. Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton surrendered to authorities Wednesday after the citys former police chief swore out a warrant on him. I take that job and responsibility very seriously. Chief Rickels had a felony charge and that also involved a gun,' he said. Reno believes Newton is making the issue about something that its not. Send it to The Daily Beasthere. Newton surrendered to authorities Wednesday after retired Chief Dennis Reno swore out a warrant on Newton for third-degree assault. I was trying to piss him off to see if hed come after me, Bryant said. Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton was arrested June 16, 2021 on a misdemeanor assault charge against the city's former police chief. He even claimed that he wore a bulletproof vest to council meetings a few times because he feared for his safety. 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. Tarrant City Police Department - Tarrant, Alabama. Reno did not respond to repeated requests for comment for this story. 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. My grandmother always used to say, The more things change, the more they stay the same, and unfortunately were starting to see the ugly head of the old Tarrant reared itself., Newton said there were no black officers on the force when he took office. The white 25-year-old said she supports Newton because he has made an attempt to bring needed youth activities to the city, and has helped the police department make great strides. This is not true, and I fully expect to be exonerated., Asked for a response to the mayors statement, Reno last year said, I only worked for him for two hours. Clara Palmore and her husband were also there to support Newton. 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. City Ordinances. 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. Type: Police Departments Population Served: 8148 The full press conference can be watched in the video player above. And so, unfortunately, its going to probably be another three years, but I feel certain that in 2024, that the citizens are going to clean house and we will actually have a council that is representative of the city and that wants to move the city forward.. Do you really think that I would say something like that at a public meeting?. Newton, a lawyer who was elected to office last year, was booked in the Jefferson County Jail for 20 minutes Wednesday. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local.