Veteran West Memphis Police Captain fired

New chief lets 28- year veteran Johnson go

news@theeveningtimes.com West Memphis Police Chief Michael Pope made his first personnel move by canning 28-year police veteran Captain Joel Johnson.

Johnson, the son of the late Mayor Bill Johnson, had headed the police department information technology concerns. The captain had last appeared publicly before city council in front of television media to explain and support Mayor Marco McClendon's imitative for police body cameras. City Council authorized spending for the cameras and the technology to support them during the same meeting.

Mayor Marco McClendon confirmed the employment separation with Johnson during a June 18 interview with The Evening Times.

'You know, I can't really get into details about that,' Continued on Page 2 CAPTAIN (cont.)

said McClendon. 'I'll be getting with the chief about it today. Joel did call me about it yesterday. I need to get both sides of n the story.'

Police department employees issued a concerned email to the mayor, the city attorney and sent a copy this writer. Department employees claimed Pope broke conventional confidential personnel protocol expressing displeasure over Johnson's design of identification badges. Afterward Pope ordered Johnson fired. Major Tracy Allen conducted the separation meeting. According to Allen's performance improvement plan developed after his seven month suspension and investigation regarding alleged harassment, he was prohibited from unilaterally disciplining employees.

'[I]n the presence of Sgt.

Darrell Hayes and a firefighter, Chief Pope belittled Captain Joel Johnson over the appearance of ID cards,' read the email to the mayor. 'Johnson was terminated by Chief Pope with no due process the following day.'

Pope, Allen and Hayes have been fraternity brothers through Kappa Alpha Psi. Captain Johnson's city issued vehicle was immediately turned over to Sgt.

Hayes. Certain officers asserted racial backlash concerns in the wake of the Johnson termination and after a the new chief announced intentions of shuffling some division commands.

'It is believed that Major Allen is using Chief Pope as a vessel to retaliate on white division commanders within the department,' read the email. 'All white division commanders have also been advised they are going to be moved within the next few weeks by Chief Pope.'

The assistant police chief position has remained open for seven months. A period that largely coincided with Allen's suspension over alleged harassment of three women employees and his resultant improvement plan. Some officers expressed concerns over the possibility of Allen ascending to assistant chief. Some thought department discipline had not been meted out evenhandedly. The Evening Times published a report on Allen's retraining and personal improvement plan after his paid suspension obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

'Major Allen has already violated numerous terms listed on the document that Mayor McClendon signed on May 3, 2021,' said the email. 'The department as a whole does not understand how a 28 year veteran eligible for retirement was terminated over ID cards and Major Allen still has his job.'

McClendon indicated no decision about Pope filling the assistant chief slot and getting acquainted with everyone in their role.

'Right now, the chief has not discussed that with me,' said McClendon. 'He is getting in and finding out how everything runs. We haven't discussed specifics about an assistant chief per se.'

Law enforcement sources reported, Criminal Investigation Division (CID) Commander Captain Troy Galtelli was accused of botching a murder investigation by Sgt. Livingston in a meeting between the two along with Chief Pope and Major Allen. The city has just three unsolved murders in its history, two of which were recent.

'The only unsubstantiated allegations of misconduct were those made by Sgt.

Livingston,' said the letter.

'Later on that day Chief Pope made contact with Sgt. Dixon in regards to her leaving the department.

Chief Pope asked Dixon not to leave and went as far as to offer her Galtelli's job as commander of CID.'