Police group gives Pine Bluff chief vote of “no confidence”

PINE BLUFF, AR – A police advocacy group representing more than half of the Pine Bluff Police Department has given Chief Brenda Davis-Jones a vote of “no confidence.”

The Arkansas Police Benevolent Association presented their findings to Mayor Carl Redus and the Pine Bluff City Council Monday night.

In a letter, the PBA said their “lack of confidence is with Chief Davis-Jones and her lack of leadership within the department. The Chief on multiple occasions has shown that she does not enforce discipline equally or consistently. The lack of disciplinary consistency has become a huge barrier within the department.”

Scott Hicks, the president of the Arkansas PBA, tells Fox 16 that his membership is “tired of the constant discrimination and harassment at work. She is not cordial or polite. She’s hateful and degrading to most of the officers she deals with.”

Chief Davis-Jones did not respond to multiple requests for comment about this story.

Two alderman, also concerned with the checks and balances within the police department, proposed different ways to approach the appearance of disciplinary issues within the department.

“My issue is re-establishing the Civil Service commission for our citizens so we can get some peace in our city government and stop being the laughingstock of the state,” said Alderman Steven Mays. “We need outside people, we don’t need any insiders.”

Thelma Walker supported an ordinance keeping a review committee currently made up of city employees and department heads, but also including outside citzens.

“I know we’ve had a lot of controversy, but have faith in Pine Bluff. Pine Bluff is here to stay and we’re a good community,” said Walker.

Both the vote of no confidence and the two proposed ordinances were read, but not discussed.