More allegations against embattled police chief

PINE BLUFF, AR – Weeks after receiving a vote of no confidence from a police advocacy group, Pine Bluff Police Chief Brenda Davis-Jones is now accused of recently hiring convicted felons onto the force. Chief Davis-Jones is also accused of disciplining those officers who voted against her

The allegations come from Sam Keller, the Executive Director of the Arkansas Police Benevolent Society.

Keller says two recent hires to the Pine Bluff Police Department are convicted felons. Keller says their criminal history should have disqualified them, but Davis-Jones hired them anyway.

Lt. Bob Rawlinson, a spokesperson for the PBPD, said if the allegations are true, his department doesn’t know about it.

“They would have to meet certain standards like everybody else does. Whether anything else happened or something slipped through the cracks, I have no idea,” said Rawlinson.

Keller says the alleged crimes were committed outside of Jefferson County. Therefore, the records of the officers in question are recorded with the Arkansas Crime Information Center and the National Crime Information Center, databases that can only be accessed by law enforcement.

Keller also says that at least 40 officers who participated in the vote of no confidence were written up by Davis-Jones. The South Central Chapter of the PBA voted no confidence in her on Feb 23rd. On March 5th, when the vote of no confidence was announced, Keller says that is when the officers were given slips.