Assistant Police Chief Whitfield fired

Pine Bluff Assistant Chief of Police Ivan Whitfield confirmed Friday afternoon that he had been fired following an investigation into one of his weapons being found on a man considered a “person of interest” in a homicide investigation.

Whitfield told The Commercial he would not comment on the action by Police Chief Brenda Davis-Jones until after he talked to his attorney, Othello Cross, who according to his office, was sick Friday.

Police Department spokesman Lt. Bob Rawlinson would neither confirm nor deny Whitfield’s firing, saying in a news release that “the Pine Bluff Police Department has completed the administrative investigations regarding the two police employees who were alleged to have violated departmental policy.

“The details of the investigation and/or discipline, if any, is not subject to release under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act until the employee(’s) appeal process is completed,” Rawlinson said.

Whitfield and another officer, Detective Marty Harrison, were both placed on administrative leave Feb. 2 and Rawlinson said the investigations into Whitfield and Harrison stem from separate unrelated incidents.

Rawlinson would also not comment on Harrison’s status.

Whitfield also confirmed that Deputy Police Chief Kelvin Sargent conducted the investigation, instead of it being conducted by the department’s Office of Professional Standards.

In a signed statement that was presented to Mayor Carl A. Redus Jr. and the city council Monday by Cross, Whitfield said Sargent witnessed an exchange between Whitfield and Davis-Jones that resulted in Whitfield being placed on administrative leave after he refused to tell her the source of information about her boyfriend.

The letter from Cross said Whitfield believed his being placed on administrative leave was “unwarranted and retaliatory.”

Whitfield said Sargent handling the investigation was a violation of department protocol, since Sargent is in charge of the Detective Division and not Professional Standards.

Rawlinson refused to confirm that Sargent had investigated Whitfield, saying normal procedure “in any internal investigation is not to release the name of the investigator.”

According to the statement Whitfield gave to aldermen, he was contacted Feb. 1 by Sargent who told him that one of his department weapons was found on a man who was arrested, and Whitfield said the man must have stolen it or gotten it from someone who stole it.

Davis-Jones received the same information and after discussing how to tell the mayor, Davis-Jones reportedly asked Whitfield about a call he had received about a man described in the statement as “Davis-Jones’ boyfriend.”

“The caller stated that the chief’s boy was at Second and Main and officers were going to stop him because his license was suspended and he had been drinking,” Whitfield said in the statement. “The caller stated I want the chief to know but I don’t want my name in it.”

Whitfield said Davis-Jones pressed him for the source of the information and when he continued to refuse, said “I promoted you and gave you a pay raise.”

Whitfield, who has worked for the police department for almost 30 years, was promoted to assistant chief in January 2011 by Davis-Jones. The position of assistant chief can be selected or removed at the discretion of the police chief.

Whitfield said that after he again refused to name the source of his information, Whitfield said Davis-Jones told him “if you or anybody messes with my two boys or my man, you are going down. I mean that.”

According to Whitfield’s statement, Davis-Jones also questioned Sargent about his daughter, claiming that the daughter had been with Davis-Jones’ son, and again according to the statement, Sargent said he was “going to put her out of the house,” and when Davis-Jones asked why, Sargent said “I told my daughter not to touch or be around your son because I need my job.”

“Deputy Chief Sargent explained to her that if a relationship started with his daughter and the Chief’s son, and her son got hurt, that she (Chief Jones) would take it out on him,” Whitfield said in the statement. “Chief Davis-Jones said I wouldn’t do that. Deputy Chief Sargent stated did you (Chief Davis-Jones) hear what you just told Assistant Chief Whitfield what would happen if anyone crossed your sons or your man. I can’t chance that.”

Attempts to contact Sargent about Whitfield’s statements were unsuccessful.

Whitfield said he thought about Davis-Jones’ comments and the following day, went to the police station where he turned in his other weapon and was informed that he had been placed on administrative leave with pay.

In the letter to the mayor and members of the city council, attorney Cross asked that the investigation be turned over to the Arkansas State Police.

If Whitfield decides to appeal the termination, he would have 10 days to file an appeal with the city’s Human Resources Department. Any appeal would be heard by a three-member panel, made up of a representative from the city attorney’s office, and two other city employees from department’s other than the police department.