Jackson Free Press

J.R. Walker, the cop whose smoking, ranting face filled the news as he blasted Mayor Melton and the city administration for causing low morale in the ranks of the JPD, has resigned.

Walker submitted his letter of resignation (PDF, 125K) to Commander Tyrone Lewis, JPD Internal Affairs and Sgt. William Thompson of Precinct 4.

Walker recorded a tirade against Mayor Frank Melton, Police Chief Shirlene Anderson and others on a personal cell phone camera that was later stolen. The recording was delivered anonymously to WLBT, which broke this story.

"Mr. Walker thought that this course of action was in the best interest of his two young children and his wife, who is expecting their third child this week," said Walker's attorney Robert "Rocky" Wilkins. "We are very disappointed by the actions of the person that chose to send the video footage to the media. …"

Sources within the police department say Walker's tirade mirrors feelings held by many officers within the department. Ward 7 Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon says department morale has hit an all-time low during the last year.

Previous Comments

ID

124708

Comment

The officer, although he made a mistake with the drug comment (imho), shows that he has more moral courage than most of our other officials in resigning. While I don't think the Mayor and others should be calling for his termination, I applaud the officer's courage through this. Mr. Mayor, you can learn a lot from Officer Walker.

Author

LawClerk

Date

2006-12-01T19:55:21-06:00

ID

124709

Comment

While I don't think the Mayor and others should be calling for his termination, I applaud the officer's courage through this. -LawClerk I agree with you wholeheartedly. This young man made the mistake of letting info from his cell phone get out into the media. Mayby it was stolen or whatever the reason, it dosen't matter. The mayor has done far worse and still feels that he is above the law. IMO Melton is no different than a rapist that got off with a techniicality. He has admitted guilt but will not step down. But yet he still has the guts to make public statements about the conduct of others. I agree with Brian's last statement of this article. This is a cry for help and leadership. He should have been offered the chance to explain himself, not threatened with termination. I wonder if Melton or chief Anderson had a diary with similar information written down and it had gotten to the media what would have happened?

Author

lance

Date

2006-12-02T04:52:47-06:00

ID

124710

Comment

I think the officer should be reassigned to an office job and there should be an investigation of the lack of equipment and police cars the officer alluded to. I am sure many others at JPD who are putting their lives on the line everyday share some of the concerns he expressed. Too bad this officer becomes the scape goat for the lack of leadership evident at JPD. He is better off being out of there. Hope he can find a better paying job. Maybe Hattiesburg?

Author

realtime

Date

2006-12-02T12:40:38-06:00

ID

124711

Comment

While I wish he could have stayed and fought this out, we all know justice is for the rich and well-connected. Better to find a place where he'll have more support than Jackson.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2006-12-02T13:48:37-06:00

ID

124712

Comment

The police need help. It's pretty sad: we just came back from a trip out to the bakery outlet off Terry Road and the Wal-Mart on Highway 18. The only police car or policeman we saw was at Wal-Mart, standing inside at the exit, checking bags and packages as the customers were leaving. There was a panhandler in the entrance/exit area right past him. On our trip to the bakery outlet, we drove down Highway 80 and Robinson Road. Not a single policeman in sight anywhere along that route. But we get back to Clinton, and I saw at least three Clinton police cars after we cross back into the city limits.

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2006-12-02T17:59:35-06:00

ID

124713

Comment

I wonder if JPD will run help wanted adds for officers again? One of the problems as I see it is the fact that many of the officers that are being added to the force come from the same neighborhoods where there was heavy drug and gang related activity. Unless these officers go through some type of dynamic change, they will continue to allow there “homies” to get away with crime in areas and with clicks that they were once a part of. Maybe the city should outsource all of its police officers in order to ensure that people like Walker don’t make it onto the squad. They should also conduct serious background checks and find out what activities potential officers have been involved in in the past. JPD cannot stand at such a critical time to allow a mediocre force to provide policing. Walker didn’t damage Melton. He made himself and the environment he came from appear uneducated.

Author

Skinnyp

Date

2006-12-03T17:30:59-06:00

ID

124714

Comment

I loved "Frank for the last mother _______ time, you're not a _______ certified police officer!" That was good enough to be paid for. What's his address so I can send him a few dollars?

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2006-12-04T11:04:53-06:00

ID

124715

Comment

you could represent him pro bono (ducking)

Author

Kingfish

Date

2006-12-04T11:26:34-06:00

ID

124716

Comment

He doesn't need to be a police officer because he also said he would shoot the next person who drove by looking at his broke down cruiser. He needs to be on the comedy circuit as funny as he was.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2006-12-04T11:28:31-06:00

ID

124717

Comment

It seems that the police officer was on track with letting fm know " for the last motherf$&*%$# time" that he is not a police officer. I'm with Ray: This one deserves financing. Instead of firing the officer or demanding a resignation, he could have been given probation, had the charge dropped from a serious verbal outcry to a joke and we all could live happily ever after.

Author

justjess

Date

2006-12-04T13:24:23-06:00

ID

124718

Comment

I don't think the officer should have resigned at all. I don't even think he should be reprimanded. Matter of fact I don't even see why or how this is such a pressing news story. From the tape, it doesn't look like he has any illegal drugs and his opinion of Frank and Shirlene is the norm around these parts and everyone has every right to their opinion. However, all of this does go to say a little bit about that old church saying about the head of the flock. SOme of the Christians on here know what I mean. There has to be some level of individual privacy at some point even for police officers....although they offer us NONE. Maybe that's the problem. And I know Frank doesn't have the audacity to force anyone to resign and his azz still in office....surely not.

Author

Queen601

Date

2006-12-04T13:59:24-06:00

ID

124719

Comment

Yes, this sounds like a free speech issue to me. And it's not like he called a press conference to act like a fool.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-12-04T14:00:32-06:00

ID

124720

Comment

I am only sure was/is as frustrated as most of the JPD officers considering that their "fearless leader" the chief has NO CLUE WHATSOEVER!!! they should have made her resign instead!

Author

Panther

Date

2006-12-05T13:55:57-06:00

ID

124721

Comment

I just hope we keep some of our police officers on the force until this regime's days have passed. Stick in there, and eye your cell phones with suspicion.

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2006-12-05T13:58:31-06:00