Newton said the person was not related to him but was related to a council member. Reno left the chiefs job shortly after and officially retired Jan. 1, 2021, after 42 years in law enforcement. Citations. Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton was arrested June 16, 2021 on a misdemeanor assault charge against the city's former police chief. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Were not in the 50s anymore. Reno on Friday said Newton released only part of the video. Money Services Business Registrations; Moter Carriers Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Tarrant Police Chief Wendell Major confirms Bryant was arrested Thursday morning on a theft of services charge. Bryant, who is white, also said his opposition to Newton has nothing to do with his race but rather stemmed from Newton trampling on the established ways of doing things and instilling a culture of fear among current and city employees because of his temper. Perry Tarrant has 34 years of law enforcement experience with the Tucson Police Department. Call (205) 849-2800 for more information. Newton said the opposition reached its apex last week, when Dennis Reno, the white former chief of police in Tarrant, accused the mayor of assaulting him during a conversation in Newton's. Bryant said he isnt opposed to changes in the city, but believes Newton is going about things in an aggressive way. The white 25-year-old said she supports Newton because he has made an attempt to bring needed youth activities to the city, and has helped the police department make great strides. And as I stated before, there is a video of this incident, which will be released to the authorities. Chief Perry Tarranthas has 34 years of law enforcement experience and is a retired captain with the Tucson Police Department and a past assistant chief of the Seattle Police Department. (Newton said the reason the city doesnt have a clerk or police chief is because Bryant and other holdover council members have opposed his choices and instead want to install someone sympathetic to them.). In an interview with The Daily Beast, Bryant pushed back against any problems with race that the city and police department may have faced in the past. Were going to continue to rebuild the city. Email Us. Address 2593 Commerce Circle Birmingham , Alabama , 35217 Phone 205-849-2811 Fax 205-849-2807 Tarrant Police Department / Tarrant City Jail Details Type Local Police Department Full Time Sworn Officers 25 Full Time Civilians 6 Map of Tarrant Police Department / Tarrant City Jail in Birmingham, Alabama Newton said the discord has continued. Newton was also acquitted on a harassment charge obtained by city council member Tommy Bryant who signed the misdemeanor warrant against him claiming the mayor made, in part, sexually explicit comments about the councilmans wife. This is not true, and I fully expect to be exonerated, said Newton. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Westlake. Bryant accused Newton of shouting an expletive F#*&- several times, and then, F#*& your wife multiple times and finally saying, Im going to F#*& your wife several times as well as some other sexually explicit comments. He described one meeting a few months back where he said Newton tried to instigate a fight with him. The blast struck Marshal Granger in the abdomen, killing him. Newton said he feels he represents all of the people that want to change the city. He even claimed that he wore a bulletproof vest to council meetings a few times because he feared for his safety. This is the official Facebook page for the Tarrant Police Department located within Jefferson County, Alabama.. Tarrant Police Department | Tarrant City AL ", Newton said he believes its a small number of former employees and former residents stirring up the controversy. Police | Tarrant, AL Police Call 911 in case of emergency. Neither Rickels nor Steel responded to a request for comment for this story. He called himself the CEO of the city, and said Bryant and others have unfortunately been put off by the new structure hes installed. At a later press conference, Newton said Reno was unwilling to stop the discriminatory practice of not hiring African American officers, which under my administration is unacceptable., There was a verbal disagreement about this between myself and Mr. Reno in my office on November 3, 2020, in which Mr. Reno is alleging that I slammed his arm in a door, Newton said. . He can look and see what it could be without the historical hindsight of what it was, he said. This type of conduct will not be tolerated, and employees that choose to engage in such behavior will be dealt with swiftly and severely.. Newton, a lawyer who was elected to office last year, was booked in the Jefferson County Jail for 20 minutes Wednesday. Newton called the assault chargein connection with an argument that happened seven months agoa stunt, while Reno has claimed Newton is only releasing part of the footage. He never gave me a chance, he told AL.com of the mayor, adding that he had told Newton, I dont hire off race, I hire off qualifications.. Newton, he said, has been a boon to the city because he recognizes its potential. He returned to Birmingham to practice law, specializing in real estate. We would have friends and family that wouldnt come to Tarrant because they were known for it, Taylor said. dustin blake wood in texas tarrant county 11/12/1985 at 12:00. notice: mugshots.com is a news organization. He also is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and consulted with the U.S. Department of State in training police forces in Afghanistan. For his part, Newton said most of the criticism by Bryant, Horton, and others who have opposed him is due to the fact that the city used to be run in a way that gave them more decision-making power than he believes they should haveand led to a cycle of stagnation. Im in charge of employees, he told The Daily Beast. The alleged assault happened on Election Day Nov. 3, 2020 when the two got into a verbal dispute. All rights reserved (About Us). The two divisions within the Department, Administrative Services and Operational Services, provide numerous specialized public safety services to the citizens of Hurst. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. George confirmed that changes to the department made it so that one officer would be in charge of the internal affairs department, rather than a previous system that would tap an available detective or lieutenant to handle complaints. Police Department Amy Marion Chief of Police (870) 845-3434 Pay Fines Police Department The Nashville Police Department is comprised of professional police officers who are eager to protect and serve our community. Sources say former Police Chief Dennis Reno pressed charges against the new mayor in connection to an incident between the two that happened after Newton was sworn into office. Video of alleged "assault" on former Tarrant Police chief, Newton surrendered to authorities Wednesday after retired Chief Dennis Reno swore out a warrant, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Meanwhile, white drivers made up about 30 percent of stops in 2019, and 27 percent of stops in 2020, numbers that are a bit lower than their 34 percent share of the population. This is not true, and I fully expect to be exonerated., Asked for a response to the mayors statement, Reno said, I only worked for him for two hours. A Facebook page called Whats really happening in the new Tarrant is another issue Newton addressed during the press conference. A veteran lawman has been chosen as the first Black police chief in Tarrant. Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton (Photo by Greg Garrison/AL.com). We have lived in the past, he said. Newton, elected in 2020 as the city's first Black mayor,. Newton was elected Aug. 25. Whos the racist here? I dont mind changes, if theyre done like theyre supposed to be done. Newton surrendered to authorities Wednesday after retired Chief Dennis Reno swore out a warrant on Newton for third-degree assault. Chief Wendell Major said this all stems from an argument between Councilman Bryant and Mayor Newton. The police that I referred to that Mr. Reno had in place was simple and to quote him exactly, I dont hire black officers because black officers dont like to police their own., He said several police officers have left the department since he took office, in part for higher-paying jobs elsewhere and in part to what he said was a concerted effort by former employees to hurt the city and to ultimately hurt my administration.. Me and my husband are behind him 100 percent and were going to see this thing turn around., It feels good to know that people are supporting me and also people that actually witnessed the incident are standing behind me and speaking the truth,' Newton said. Tarrant County /QuickLinks.aspx. I actually question the legitimacy of those numbers like I question the legitimacy of the hiring practices of the previous police chief, he added. Newton surrendered to authorities Wednesday, a month after Rickels was arrested in Georgia on assault, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. City Ordinances. Im glad that we can finally put that behind me.. Newman was arrested again on Aug. 18, 2021, on the harassment charged, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. At that time, my lieutenant for the police department was in ICU with COVID and I told him I would need a little bit more time to get that information because all of the files was on the lieutenants computer and I said, I dont have access to his computer. He jumps up from his desk and I will tell you exactly what he said. For example, he said, the firing of Rickels is something that he didnt need approval for. Lets get to the bottom of it and see who is lying.. who left the position in November 2020 after a run-in with Newton, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. The white 25-year-old said she supports Newton because he has made an attempt to bring needed youth activities to the city, and has helped the police department make great strides. Newton is considered innocent until proven guilty and he has called the charge bogus. The Tribune is awaiting a call back from his attorney. He even claimed that he wore a bulletproof vest to council meetings a few times because he feared for his safety. Newton was booked into the Jefferson County Jail in Bessemer at 4:09 p.m. Wednesday with bond set at $1,000. The mayors bench trial which means evidence and testimony were presented only to the judge, not a jury - was held earlier this month before Jefferson County District Judge Katrina Ross. Its my hope that once this video footage is released to the district attorney, theyll make the right decision and see this for what it is just a political stunt, just to smear my name,' Newton said. Newton was arrested on June 16 and charged with third-degree assault, according to records from the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office, which declined to elaborate on the charges prior to publication. That incident ultimately led to a misdemeanor assault charge filed by Reno against Newton. Reno retired on Jan. 1 after more than four decades of police work. Joel Kimbrough, who is white, has lived in Tarrant his whole life and owns a printing business there. Reminds me of Adolf Hitler., Bryant has served as a councilman for 12 years, and said hes lived in Tarrant for most of his life. For his part, Reno denied any pattern of discriminatory hiring. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The alleged assault happened on Election Day Nov. 3, 2020 when the two got into a verbal dispute. 2593 Commerce Circle. Walter Franklin Granger Marshal Walter Granger was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man who had assaulted a boy earlier in the day. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. He described one meeting a few months back where he said Newton tried to instigate a fight with him. For example, he said, the firing of Rickels is something that he didnt need approval for. Tarrant Mayor-elect Wayman Newton was sworn in on Nov. 2, 2020 as the city's first Black mayor. The mayor said he will address the warrant at a press conference at 10 a.m. Thursday. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. I take that job and responsibility very seriously. My election kind of represented a transition from the old guard to the new, Newton told The Daily Beast. For the second time in one week, city councilman Tommie Bryant was arrested.According to Tarrant's police chief, the latest arrest happened Thursday morning."He turned himself in at the county jail today on an outstanding warrant for theft of services," chief Wendell Major explained. A report from the Fort Worth Police Department shows violent crimes dropped by more than 13% in 2022. . That is all that was said. Hes lying like Hell! Newton turned himself into the Jefferson County Jail on Wednesday and was released a short time later after posting a $1,000 bond. Newton only acknowledged using foul language one time in private with Bryant, after he said the councilman called him boy. If you know anything about the history of the South and race relations, to have some 75-year-old man calling a 40-year-old Black man a boy is very insulting, Newton said. A veteran lawman has been chosen as the first Black police chief in Tarrant. Newton graduated from the Alabama School of Fine Arts, then earned a political science degree at the University of Pennsylvania and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. TARRANT, Ala. (WIAT) Wayman Newton, the mayor of Tarrant, was charged with misdemeanor assault Wednesday. And Mayor Newton is trying to correct the things that had been so bad about the city of Tarrant from the previous administrationlike not having Black officers.. As for his shoulder, he said he might have to have surgery but that doctors are doing all they can to prevent that from happening. Im fairly certain that once people had an opportunity to look at these videos, theyre going to know the truth., Again, Im not above the law and so this is a criminal matter and its going to work its way through the courts,' he said. Ill take a voice stress analysist and a polygraph with the person of his (Newtons) choosing. Laura Horton, 73, who served on the city council for 20 years before losing her re-election bid in 2020, echoed Bryants assessment of Newton. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Tue, Mar 14 . Newton surrendered to authorities Wednesday after retired Chief Dennis Reno swore out a warrant on Newton for third-degree assault.