Mayor: Police department did not hire felons

PINE BLUFF, AR - Pine Bluff Mayor Carl Redus, Jr. says his city's police department is operating as it should.

"It absolutely is," he said, "fighting crime each and every day, being the public servants they should be for the citizens of this community."

That's despite members of the Pine Bluff Police Department voting no confidence in Chief Brenda Davis-Jones about a month ago, and Police Benevolent Association Executive Director Sam Keller telling Fox16 that two transport officers recently hired to the force had criminal records.

Said Keller, "both of which were disqualified from being hired into those positions based upon their criminal history but she hired them anyway."

Redus says the allegations are not true.

"You can't be hired as a police officer with a felony," the mayor said, "so no police officer was hired with a felony. The two transport officers are not police officers therefore they were hired under different circumstances. Fortunately neither one of them had a felony."

Shorlty after making that statement, the mayor produced a copy of a letter signed by Pine Bluff Assistant Chief Ivan Whitfield. The letter says one officer did have a felony charge the court later expunged. The other officer had no felony convictions at all.

Redus attributes the accusations to disgruntled employees and says he disagrees with the vote of no confidence.

"As the chief executive officer of this city of course it concerns me. Do i think it's valid? No."

Reached by phone Wednesday, Police Benevolent Association Executive Director Sam Keller told Fox16 he plans to do more research on the statements made by the mayor, saying he has a different understanding of the employees' criminal records.