Brookside Police Chief Mike Jones resigns Jan. 25, 2022
Mike Jones, the chief of police in the small Alabama town of Brookside, resigned today in the wake of revelations by AL.com that he turned the department into an aggressive traffic trap that by 2020 received half its revenue from fines and forfeitures, many on minor offenses from those who drive by the town on Interstate 22.
Republican and Democratic leaders in Alabama admonished the town after the initial report, and encouraged state and federal investigation of Brookside, which covers a half dozen miles of road just north of Birmingham. Politicians from both parties outlined bills to correct the kind of policing for profit that has gone on there and elsewhere.
See also: ‘We’re going to get something done’: State leaders promise action on Brookside ticket trap’
Attempts to reach Jones today were unsuccessful.
Brookside Mayor Mike Bryan would not comment for this report, referring calls to City Attorney Mark Parnell, who said he could not comment on personnel issues. The city, however, sent a statement confirming Jones’ resignation.
“This will confirm that earlier today, Mike Jones resigned as the Police Chief for the Town of Brookside,” the statement from town clerk Debbie Keedy read. “Since this involves a personnel matter, the Town has no further comment.”
Brookside, a former mining town in north Jefferson County, has only 1,253 residents, but under Jones built an outsized force of 10 or more full and part-time officers with 10 dark vehicles that patrol I-22. The town has no traffic lights and only one retail store, the Dollar General, but in 2020 collected $487 in fines and forfeitures for every man, woman and child. Income from fines and forfeitures rose 640% in those two years, and that money came to 49 percent of the town’s $1.2 million budget.
The city faces at least five federal lawsuits for its policing, and drivers who believe they were ticketed unfairly responded overwhelmingly after the AL.com original story, telling of what they claim are fabricated charges, intimidation, and retaliation toward anyone who dared to challenge the police.
In the wake of last week’s story, public officials, including Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth, sought investigations by the Department of Justice, the Alabama Attorney General, as well as audits and investigations from other Alabama entities.
Jones responded personally to some people who shared the AL.com story on social media.
“I strongly suggest you take the time to research the truth of the story before posting comments,” he messaged on Facebook to Senate candidate Lisa Ward after she shared a link to the story.
“Especially if you expect to run for public office on the State of Alabama. I am the Chief of Police of this department. I am a highly awarded and decorated 27 year State of Alabama law enforcement veteran choosing to continue serving in public office. I also serve on the AACOP executive board of Directors as the Emergency Response Committee Chairman with the Alabama Association of Chief’s of Police as well as the International Association of Chiefs of Police, & FBI LEEDA.”
Leah Nelson, research director at the non-profit that works on issues of justice and equity in Alabama, said the departure of Jones is good news, but it doesn’t solve the greater problem.
Jones “is just a symptom of the problem,” she said. “As long as criminal justice policy and tax policy is intertwined, we’ll see versions of Brookside pop up. We need policy reform.”
Read more stories from our Banking on Crime series:
The photo on this story was changed at 4:15 p.m. Jan. 25, 2022 to show Mike Jones.
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