Alabama News Network Staff. Newton, a lawyer who was elected to office last year, was booked in the Jefferson County Jail for 20 minutes Wednesday. 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 Newtons office a day after his swearing-in back in November. We are committed to making our community a safe place to live, work, and visit. 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. 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. Call (205) 849-2800 for more information. I only worked for him for two hours. McKeesport Police Department. Tarrant drove away at 1:55 pm. 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. The conversation evolved into a shouting match, Newton said. He said four of those officers are Black, and that all were hired after Reno resigned from his position as chief of police on Jan. 1. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. Since becoming mayor, Newton has vowed to clean up the city but he said he has faced pushback from the council, former community members as well as former city employees. I fully believe, expect that, I will be fully exonerated., Tarrant resident Trulane Davis attended Thursdays press conference and said she was standing right there when the alleged assault happened. This type of conduct will not be tolerated, and employees that choose to engage in such behavior will be dealt with swiftly and severely.. Newton said hes moving forward with his plans to better the city. Share: Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on G+ Share with email. Additional Information. So, the guy didnt know what he was talking about.. Oh yes, there's trouble, right here in Tarrant City, with a capital "T" that rhymes with "C" that stands for (racist) Conspiracy. A day after his arrest, Newman released video footage of the alleged assault. we post and write thousands of news stories a year, most wanted stories, editorials (under categories - blog) and stories of exonerations. Although the numbers dont tell a damning tale, Newton said, Tarrant historically has had a problem.. Kimbrough, 65, said the city has a lot of potential and a significant budget given its size. 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. TARRANT, Ala. (WIAT) Wayman Newton, the mayor of Tarrant, was charged with misdemeanor assault Wednesday. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Ever since Newton, 40, took office after winning his election in Tarrant, Alabamapopulation 7,000by nearly 40 percentage points last year, a small minority of mostly white residents and city leaders have had it out for him, he told The Daily Beast. He said it all started during a conversation about hiring practices at the police department. 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 her photographer at a property he owns there. During the press conference Thursday, Newton explained his versions of the incident that happened on Nov. 3, 2020. And hopefully and once it works its way through the proper channels, those videos will be released to the public,' Newton said. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Im glad that we can finally put that behind me.. The charge comes after former Police Chief Dennis Reno claimed that Newton slammed a door on him shortly after he was put into office. Electric Department; Fire; Library; Municipal Court; Parks and Recreation; Police; Public Works; Business. Newton surrendered to authorities Wednesday after retired Chief Dennis Reno swore out a warrant on Newton for third-degree assault. Brian Steel, Rickels attorney, told AL.com the charges were baseless. Hes lying like Hell! Major replaces former Chief Dennis Reno, who left the position in November 2020 after a run-in with Newton. Fax: 817-249-4803. 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 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. Deanna Taylor is one of those people. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. And as I stated before, there is a video of this incident, which will be released to the authorities. TX - Nov 13, 2022. But he said people like Bryant and Reno are, in effect, stuck in the past: Theyre longing for a time that was.. At this point Im happy. Newton, an attorney, is accused of slamming a door on Reno, causing an injury to Renos shoulder that may require surgery. Contact the City; Licenses; I Want To. 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Kimbrough, 65, said the city has a lot of potential and a significant budget given its size. 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.. TARRANT, Ala. (WIAT) The city of Tarrant has announced it has terminated its fire chief after he was arrested last month in Georgia. The city of Tarrant considers these actions absolutely irresponsible and reckless, Newton said in a statement announcing Rickelss termination. Perry A. Tarrant Full Bio Cerelyn 'CJ' Davis Cerelyn 'CJ' Davis According to charging documents, Bryant said the incident happened July 19, 2021, at Tarrant City Hall following a council meeting. Police | Tarrant, AL Police Call 911 in case of emergency. 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. We didnt see anything happen.'. Ft Worth Tarrant County Texas Arrests, Warrants & Most Wanted. 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. All rights reserved (About Us). Newton, the first black mayor of the mostly Black Birmingham suburb of 6,400 people, said there were no Black people on the police force when he became mayor. Benbrook 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. He even claimed that he wore a bulletproof vest to council meetings a few times because he feared for his safety. TCOLE Licensing. I dont mind changes, if theyre done like theyre supposed to be done. She argued that it was clear from watching embarrassing city council meetings every week that he has some enemies. Mayor Newton is trying hard for the citizens of Tarrant, she said. Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Deputy Chief David Carabajal Police Department Amy Marion Chief of Police (870) 845-3434 Pay Fines Police Department The Nashville Police Department is comprised of professional police officers who are eager to protect and serve our community. Newman was arrested again on Aug. 18, 2021, on the harassment charged, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. The city of Tarrant does not have a police chief or a fire chief at this time. All Current Year LODDs When Tarrant returned to his car, Aziz threw the shotgun at it. Newton was sworn in as the citys mayor in November 2020. 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). Ill take a voice stress analysist and a polygraph with the person of his (Newtons) choosing. 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.. 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. 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.. ", Newton said he believes its a small number of former employees and former residents stirring up the controversy. 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. 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). I never even got involved in the interviews, said Reno. Bryant was arrested back on . . A report from the Fort Worth Police Department shows violent crimes dropped by more than 13% in 2022. . He called himself the CEO of the city, and said Bryant and others have unfortunately been put off by the new structure hes installed. Newton held a press conference at Tarrant City Hall on Thursday to discuss the case. Emergency visits to Tarrant City Jail are also allowed, subject to the on-duty Watch Commander's approval. . Copyright All rights reserved. I dont take sides between politicians.. When reached for comment, Newton said there had been a warrant taken out on him and that he had gotten it taken care of. I do not represent the Mayor, Councilor Bryant or any other employee in its individual capacity, he said.