Duck Hill Police Chief Tyler Winter brought a budget concern before the Board of Aldermen in a Monday night meeting.
Kimberly Cooley, who was concerned about a nuisance property near her mother’s home that has been causing her mother to have trouble sleeping, and according to Cooley, sometimes be in fear for her life, brought a complaint before the Board.
Cooley made a comment that these issues have prevailed for years, and she “called the police. No action” was made. At this point, Cooley’s neighbor, Gwynda Miers added that she has had similar issues with a couple of pitbulls on the same road as Cooley’s mother’s home. Cooley again asked why nothing had been done regarding the nuisance property beside her mother’s home.
Winter said “the affidavit has been served. We served that warrant” once Cooley’s mother signed the affidavit. He said the case just hasn’t come up in court yet.
Cooley asked “But when was this? Because I spoke to Judge [Mary] Brown about a month ago, and she had not received anything with my name on it.”
Cooley asked “But when was this? Because I spoke to Judge [Mary] Brown about a month ago, and she had not received anything with my name on it.”
Winter replied that he could get Cooley a copy of the report and added that his department had “made several arrests over there.” He mentioned that a particular culprit had just been indicted on drug charges. He said he also arrested a man related to a stabbing in that area.
Cooley said that she and her mother have a right to peace and said that the town of Duck Hill was obligated to do something about the prevailing issues.
Winter explained that he couldn’t do anything about the nuisance part because, as city attorney Adam Kirk would later explain, nuisance issues were civil matters, not criminal. Winter said that every time the police have gotten a call, they’ve gone over to the property and made an arrest. Cooley said that wasn’t happening in response.
Winter then added, addressing the pitbull issue, that “we actually issued [the dog owner] a citation a couple of weeks ago. As a matter of fact, when [one of the dogs] got loose and chased after a kid” a citation was issued then as well. He lamented the issue of the area: that there is not enough room to house the influx of animals, in particular dogs, in the area or in the state of Mississippi.
Winter said that he and his officers have issued several citations, and that the last time he was at the owner’s home, he told them that the department would be taking the dog. “We told her it’s the last time we’re coming over there for the dogs, and I haven’t seen the dog out, and we haven’t had any calls since then.”
Miers said she had to call the Montgomery Sheriff’s office about the dogs around a month ago. Winter responded “I didn’t hear anything about that. So I didn’t know anything about it.” He also said that the last citation was issued about that time. Miers wanted to know why nothing had been done since then. Winter responded that the court date has not come up yet.
Chris Caldwell, an alderman, spoke up at this time. “I’ve got a question. Being new at this, I just don’t want us to end up in the same situation [about the dogs] as Winona. So what is it that we need to do to try and get the problems resolved?”
Kirk said that “it’s a statewide problem.” But the main issue he addressed was that the board cannot legally issue any ordinances regarding civil or criminal issues. “We don’t judge and jury in this room,” said Kirk. He said the only thing that could be done legally was to sign an affidavit in civil or criminal court depending on the matter. “The town can’t regulate civil activity,” he said.
Winter said that any further complaints about the dogs can be brought up at the court date. Kirk advised that he bring those issues up, and that a fence be ordered to be built according to the Duck Hill town ordinance regarding pitbulls.
Cooley said that the last couple of times she’s called the police, no one was on duty within hours before midnight. “Is there a gap in coverage, or what is going on?” she asked.
“I’m shorthanded,” said Winter, “If you know anybody who wants to come apply, tell them to come.”
Mayor Al White interjected, “Most of the police officers here are only part-time.” He asked Winter if he had anyone other than himself working full-time. Winter said he had one full-time officer who had just started working full-time in Grenada.
“I’d be down here more,” said Winter, “but I had to go work at Holmes [County] to get health insurance, so I had to cut back some hours down here as well.”
“The health insurance is a big problem, that’s why I’m trying to work at Holmes so I can have health insurance and get my kids on insurance.”
Alderwoman Shernell Brown-Everett asked, “we don’t offer insurance for full-time employees?”
Mayor White responded “No, none of our employees have insurance, part-time or full-time.”
The board did not make any motions regarding the police budget or city employee benefits in the meeting.
“I’m hoping [the board] is able to raise next year’s police budget so I’m able to hire two full-time officers,” said Winter in a later interview, “I am full-time and I also have one [other] full-time officer that is working through a cops grant. The grant expires in June, though.”
