Bad Links?
Other glitches?
Notify Webmaster

Simmons packs the house

Fired cop’s supporters fill council chamber

By BEN NELMS
bnelms@TheCitizenNews.com

What began with fired Fayetteville Police Officer Harold Simmons taking his case to council members Thursday ended moments later with loud applause, cheers and a standing ovation from a packed house of residents in attendance to support him.

Simmons recently filed two federal discrimination complaints over his termination in April for insubordination after failing to comply with instructions to apologize for taping two fellow officers without their knowledge. Yet unmistakable from his remarks to the council was Simmons’ belief that the problems at Fayetteville Police Department run much deeper than the color of an officer’s skin. The depth and extent of the problem in the police department, he said, should be cause for the dismissal of Police Chief Johnny Roberts, Maj. Steve Ledbetter and City Manager Joe Morton.

Speaking in the public comments portion of the meeting, Simmons’ remarks were prefaced by Mayor Pro-tem Larry Dell who said the council would be unable to comment due to the litigation involved with Simmons’ case.

Simmons began by referencing a hearing prior to his termination that addressed alleged racial discrimination. The hearing and the claim followed a grievance he filed after receiving a reprimand from Roberts for not apologizing to the officers he had taped without their knowledge. Simmons said he was treated like a criminal.

“Even when the city decided to hold my hearing, it was a joke. My request to have officers testify under oath was ignored. At the meeting with Joe Morton and Chief Roberts I asked them to outline the law or the policy that I violated that they would use to terminated my employment. I was told we’re not going to go down that road. I asked them again and was told we were going to terminate that line of questioning. How can you terminate that line of questioning when you’re talking about a man’s future? I stand before you this evening because I want his (Morton’s) job, I want Johnny Roberts job and I want Ledbetter’s job. If I as a police officer can’t stand before you and be protected by the policies then how can you protect the citizens of Fayetteville? For (Morton) to stand behind Roberts and to continue to allow him to destroy people’s lives at will is wrong.”

Simmons said he never wanted to use the race card.

“I am doing it now because it is true and it is right,” he added.

Simmons referenced a meeting earlier Thursday where other officers, he said, also acknowledged taping. The morale in the police department is so low that officers are ready to quit, Simmons said.

“The fact that (Roberts) can stand there and run an upside down pyramid is an absolutely bold lie,” said Simmons, referencing a recent interview in which Roberts had described his management style. “He runs that place like a tyrant. He’s got people afraid to say the truth. He’s got people afraid for their jobs and for their lives. Ya’ll see one side of Johnny Roberts, but you don’t see the side we see every day. You don’t see the side of Steve Ledbetter we see every day.”

At the conclusion of Simmons’ remarks, Dell closed the public comments portion of the meeting, apparently believing that other comments would be redundant. Feeling they were slighted, two of those that wanted to speak voiced their concerns outside council chambers. Both work at Fayette Middle School, the location to which Simmons was assigned 14 months ago after being demoted.

“I’ve been working there since Officer Simmons started as our Resource Officer. I really don’t know where to begin because the school is in shock,” said science teacher David Carnow. “We’ve got a thousand people in that school who are wondering how the city could do this. Officer Simmons was all about helping the students be better citizens. Whoever did this has no clue what he means to Fayette Middle. That’s why we were here tonight.”

Echoing Carnow’s sentiments were those of school secretary Karen Littlejohn. She spoke of the effect Simmons had on students and faculty alike and the need to have his questions addressed by the council.

“I could not have asked for a better Resource Officer than Harold Simmons,” she said. “Now we feel like we’ve been hung out to dry. Harold asked some very legitimate questions tonight and he deserves answers to those questions.”

Regarding the statements by officers at the Thursday morning meeting referenced by Simmons, Morton said he could not comment on the meeting since it was a personnel matter.