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January 8, 2013
Civil Service Board
Mayor David Bradford
Police Chief Robert Evans
Muscle Shoals City Hall
Muscle Shoals, Alabama 35661
Dear Sirs;
Former Muscle Shoals Police Chief, now deceased, David Underwood used to tell a funny story about a hard-charging patrolman who took his police vehicle, while on duty, to Gnat Pond on Sixth Street, which was at the time outside the city limits of Muscle Shoals. It seems the Muscle Shoals patrolman was shooting dangerous turtles from the car and somehow, accidentally, shot a hole in his patrol car. The patrolman frantically found someone to repair the hole before he'd have to report to duty the next day. That hard-charging patrolman is now the Mayor of Muscle Shoals, David Bradford.
The Mayor's office and Police Chief allow police officers, in their patrol car while on duty, to take and pick up their children to and from school and run personal errands. They've gone shopping at Walmart and Belle Foods. They've even been used to go as far as Huntsville, Alabama and, in one instance while the patrol car was supposed to be off duty, it was driven to Montgomery, Alabama. The car picked up an individual who had skipped a bond, not in Muscle Shoals, and brought him back to the area. Not one single officer has ever been sanctioned for this use of a Muscle Shoals police car for personal trips.
Then there is the issue of the lawsuit filed against the City of Muscle Shoals alleging that some of its police officers had recklessly entered into a high speed automobile chase which resulted in very serious consequences. The City paid money on this, yet no police officer was ever reprimanded or had charges brought against him. There are instances of sexual misconduct by police officers while on duty, including one with a young lady who was working with the City as a jailer. None of these officers were terminated. There are other instances recently where the City has been sued for some serious misconduct to an arrested person. The City paid up to or possibly even $100,000. The officers involved were not terminated.
This letter says the appropriate discipline was rendered for former officer and current Mayor Bradford. He was not even cited in his personnel file for hunting dangerous turtles at Gnat Pond. Patrolman Greg Scoggins of the Muscle Shoals Police Department is asking that this Civil Service Board have a hearing and, at that time, render punishment that is befitting of the crime. Said punishment should not be his termination as a police officer. Patrolman Bradford, when he was hunting dangerous turtles, had only been on the job some five years. Patrolman Scoggins has been with the Muscle Shoals Police Department over 12 years.
Johnnie Franks and I, who represent Greg Scoggins, look for a full hearing in front of the Civil Service Board which can be open to the public and, if the City wants, names will be given to the Board about each and every incident the attorneys have made reference to in this letter. By this letter, we appeal the decision of Mayor David Bradford within the 14-day time period allowed.
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Who's printing tickets for this show?
Shoalanda
Muscle Shoals City Hall was rocked yet again with charges of misconduct that go all the way up to the Mayor’s Office. After denying the request of fired officer Greg Scoggins because he shot and killed a dangerous buck on TVA property, it has come to light that former patrolman David Bradford allegedly shot and killed dangerous turtles on Gnat Pond! Apparently his shot was so inaccurate that he shot his patrol car. We, the people, have numerous questions for Mayor Bradford concerning his hunting trips:
ReplyDelete1: Did he shoot any of the 5 known endangered species of turtle and fish at Gnat Pond?
2: Did he shoot with the aid of a motor vehicle? (RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT)
3: Did he shoot endangered animals from a public roadway?
4: Were there small children nearby during his hunting trips?
5: Was the repaired patrol car fixed with taxpayer dollars?
6: Did he shoot endangered animals with a police issued gun?
7: Did he shoot endangered animals while on the clock?
Dr. I. P. Freely, a State Conservation Specialist was appalled when he heard about the “Destroy the Terrapin” mentality of the MSPD. He asked for a full investigation by the Conservation Dept.
Both Shoalanda and Bubba have commented on the alleged incident in Wednesday's blog. We did so humorously, but it is a sad situation...
DeleteHow does this compare to the transgressions of the Chief of Police in Tuscumbia and his ability to keep his job. Is shooting over populated wildlife a higher legal violation than DUI? And he is the Police Chief and arrests citizens for this same offense.
DeleteI, through investigation and sources at the Muscle Shoals Police Dept., Colbert County Sheriffs Depts., and Tuscumbia Police Department, have uncovered that Chief Robert Evans, as patrolman Evans, daily on the midnight shift, slayed turtles at Gnat Pond with other MSPD officers. I stand by this statement and challenge Chief Evans to say that he and other members of the department, when they were patrolmen, weren't slaying turtles at Gnat Pond outside the city limits of Muscle Shoals while on duty.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it about killing hundreds of defenseless turtles?
Billy I adore you! That is the most superb appeal letter I have ever read!
ReplyDelete