Jackson Free Press

Jackson Police Chief Shirlene Anderson wants to give the boot to all sitting members of the Jackson Police Foundation, something that foundation members say she does not have the authority to do.

"We appreciate your service. Even though you will not be serving as a foundation member, we request your continued support of the Jackson Police Department and the services we provide to the citizens," Anderson said in a letter mailed to all members (PDF, 76 KB).

Foundation President Susan Lunardini defended both the board and its members. "The Jackson Police Foundation is totally non-political and our only desire is to serve the Jackson Police Department," Lunardini said. "We are a corporation chartered by the state of Mississippi and in good standing with the Secretary of State's office and we're a 501 (c)(3) company in good standing with the IRS."

Lunardini added that she doesn't know why Anderson is suddenly deciding to remove the members, though Anderson's letter explains that her decision may be part of her new crime plan—which the chief has yet to fully present to the City Council after almost two years as chief.

"My command staff and I have decided to revitalize the Jackson Police Foundation to create an effective partnership and link to the community," Anderson wrote. "We have developed a new crime plan and are forging forward with its implementation."

Anderson denied to the Jackson Free Press that she's demanding board resignations, however. "We're just trying to put some other stuff in place. We're not trying to dissolve the board or influence it. We're trying to look at how we're going to do some other things," Anderson said, promising more information later.

Board members said they still interpret the letter as a strong-arm tactic comparable to the July 2005 attempt by Mayor Frank Melton to remove all members from 22 listed boards and commissions, including Downtown Jackson Partners, the Airport Authority and the Jackson Public Schools Board.

Melton did not have the authority to demand resignations then and most members ignored the request. In a comparable reaction, foundation member Jimmy Robinson said he's "not taking (Anderson's) letter very seriously."

"She doesn't really understand the situation. She doesn't know anything about the police foundation. This is an independent organization. People put money in it from as a far away as New Orleans, and I don't know what she's thinking," Robinson said.

The foundation supplies money to the police department, having helped fund officer training as well as purchases of equipment and supplies. The foundation also helped pay for the Mobile Command Unit that the mayor uses to go on police sweeps.

Robinson added that the most Anderson could do was dissolve ties with the foundation, which would prove costly to the police department.

"If she wants to break ties well and good, but we've got money in the treasury that she's not going to get. We 're not going to give it to her and she can't raise any money under our charter," Robinson said, adding that Anderson and the foundation have grown distant.

"We met with Anderson when she first became chief, and we told her we were there for her. We never heard from her anymore. I don't even know how she got the names of all the members," Robinson said.

Previous Commentsshow

It just never stops! They have no clue on how organizations and boards work.

pikersam

Apr 13 2007

you've got to be kidding. Is she that stupid? Not to mention she is trying to give the bird to the people who are trying to support her.

Kingfish

Apr 13 2007

wait a second. How many members does the foundation have? She is essentially disbanding the foundation if she does this, right?

Kingfish

Apr 13 2007

What? Is this group part of the City? I never thought it was. I don't think the City can do anything about a corporation.

ChrisCavanaugh

Apr 13 2007

Isn't there a Federal Bureau of Incompetency that could step in and take the reins of the city away from these nuts?

DonnaLadd

Apr 13 2007

Well Well Well, just one nore thing to add to the list. Lets see, can we hear from Stokes or one of the department heads of the city on who should run the soup kitchen in Jackson? These people just don't know when to stop. Every time one of Meltons crew opens their mouth or releases info, they just make themselves look dumber and dumber. Actualy, they just give more evidence to the fact. We already know they are idiots!

kdbstlrfan1

Apr 13 2007

Why was his Parks guy in court today?

Kingfish

Apr 13 2007

looking up the corporate stuff. This is nothing but retaliation by Melton. REgistered agent of JPF: Jeff Good. Jamie Martin is listed as an incorporator. Board of trustees: Paul Breazele, Sylvia Stewart, Rob Rockhold, Jeff Good, Susan Ludarnini, Cindy Ayers-Eliot, Philip Poitevin, Dan Genous, Toni Cooley, Margrit Garner such a nice pretty link, eh itodd? Guess Melton has it in now for some of the NE Jackson crowd. Its also a non profit corporation. Anderson and the city has NO standing to influence them in anyway. Either Anderson is just doing what she is told or she is just that stupid and I'm starting to think she really is that stupid.

Kingfish

Apr 13 2007

So, what is it all about? The obvious things are further consolidation of Melton's power base. (read: more cronies in office.) Or a simple grab for the foundations funds that get paid out upon dissolution? (or both?) I had forgotten about the 2005 attempt . . . In any event, this sure cements Shirlene's status as lapdog, and I find that really irritating since I have always had high hopes for her.

Danno

Apr 14 2007

I would vote for retaliation. Just last Sunday, Jeff Good was quoted in The Clarion-Ledger saying he was a "former Melton-aholic" or something close to that. My guess is that Melton got p!ssed off about it, and called the chief and said: "Shirlene, fire the whole dern police foundation board." And she, of course, fired off this letter. I don't know that that happened, but it would be very typical of this mayor and chief. It seems like most every decision if made based on loyalty to him, or the lack thereof. And as we understand it, this has long, long been his modus operandi.

DonnaLadd

Apr 14 2007

Also, I'll be honest. I've never understood why anyone has "high hopes" for Anderson as chief. She hasn't shown any indications that she can lead the police department, has she? Have I missed something? When I was riding around on the Mobile Command Center with all of them, she seemed to be there to make sure he didn't do something really, really stupid and illegal, and to keep them from bringing alcoholic beverages on the RV. (She would say something about "no alcohol" when we stopped at different bars. Outside the Upper Level, Melton made a joke right in front of me to the Upper Level manager that they couldn't drink that night because "Shirlene" is with them. Of course, Melton reeked of liquor before we ever left his house.) Anderson cannot give coherent answers to questions about the PD. I don't mean that she is avoiding questions; I truly don't think she's understood a lot of the questions she's been asked. She is in way over her head, which is too bad for her. So, I've never seen why people think she has any potential to be a good chief. Makes no sense to me.

DonnaLadd

Apr 14 2007

More bad news for my high hopes! I was real happy to see them pick someone from within JPD is really why I was hopin'. Too funny the picture you paint of her chaperoning that posse. So at least we know she thinks like a cop. (Keeping order. I have some Irish in my blood and I can't help keeping order.) Maybe her Mamma taught her to keep her mouth shut! Hah

Danno

Apr 14 2007

Melton, et al, is really beginning to 'creep me out'! Did you all see the C-L's quotes from him in the article about Speed? "They live there. They have a vested interest in their neighborhoods just like you have one in yours and I have one in mine," Melton said. "I think the real value is getting someone who works in the neighborhood ... the control is being given back to the citizens." "Melton said he intends to hire seven people - one from each ward - ....... to be the eyes and ears of the city." Emphasis mine. The grandiosity of thinking he can give people rights! The gall of hiring 'spys' and thinking it would 'wow' us! Just who does he think he is? Maybe what he said at CMMC is a tip off: "I am Mayor of this City and tomorrow I'm going to own this hospital!" Or how about "I am not only going to carry one gun, I'm going to carry two!"

ChrisCavanaugh

Apr 14 2007

shirlene just really does not know how to run jpd this is not mbn this is the jackson police dept. the chief really has no idea of how run a police dept she may have had a clue over at mbn but not at jpd.this is just another stupid move that shirlene has done.the foundation has purchased vests,provided holiday meals for fire/police on holidays,assisted with any police crisis that they were aware of. the foundation has been a quiet supporter of jpd for years and for years the relatinship between them and officers has been good. who told shirlene she had control over this organization and could try fire them. i would suggest that the cheif get control over her own department.

GRNY1

Apr 14 2007

"Melton said he intends to hire seven people - one from each ward - ....... to be the eyes and ears of the city." Emphasis mine." He also said , last year, that he was going to hire a developer to redevelop the dilapidating parts of each ward. I don't believe it. I have trust in Leland Speed to turn the economic situation around (if he could do it with Mississippi he sure could do it with us), and Faye Petterson to put up a strong enough case to get the man convicted and out of office.

optimisticaboutNewJackCity

Apr 14 2007

My question is does she even know how to read articles of incorporation. All she can do is disassociate the JPD from the JPF, create another foundation, and encourage people to contribute to it. If she thinks that by JPF disbanding she can get its money, she is wrong. There is nothing stopping JPF from giving its money on dissolution to Hinds Country SHeriff's Office. Either she did what she was told and didn't look at the articles of incorporation or she really is not that intelligent. I really hate saying that about her and take no pleasure in it but what other conclusion can you draw?

Kingfish

Apr 15 2007

Well, this move does not particularly indicate intelligence. Neither has the way she tends to answer questions about crime and the police department. I've said before that I liked her as a person. But she is in way, way, way over her head. Melton has never indicated that he knows what he is legally able to do, or that he cares to ask. He believes he is above the law, and he has people around him who will do anything he says. I mean, look at Recio and Wright. They could end up serving more time than he does because they don't seem to have had the good sense to obey the law themselves because he alleged ordered them to do otherwise. The word "sheeple" comes to mind.

DonnaLadd

Apr 15 2007

if I'm Reico and Wright, I say I am following orders and if I was told by the chief to do whatever Melton wanted and after seeing what happened to those MBN agents I have a reasonable fear of being framed.

Kingfish

Apr 15 2007

by the way Donna, there is no mention of this on the CL website all weekend from what I can tell.

Kingfish

Apr 15 2007

The chief can be told anything and she runs with it.Its almost like she is scared to think for herself. Shirlene doesn't appear to be the sharpest knife in the drawer,have you all seen how she wears the jpd uniform its got to be a guidebook for her to use.Somebody give her one please.

GRNY1

Apr 15 2007

I don't believe any Chief can order sworn law enforcement officers to violate the Constitution of the United States. The Ridgeway incident was, IMHO, a blatant act violating the Bill of Rights. No matter what she had said, Recio and Wright are assumed to have known about basic rights of citizens. Just like no letter from the 1990's equals a gun permit for Melton. We need our policemen and women. We need more law and order. We need a local organization willing to support them. The Zoo, The Library, The Symphony, New Stage, and the Mississippi Museum of Art are just a few of the places around here who need citizens to support them. If I'm not mistaken, Mynell Gardens even has volunteer gardners. The Hospitals use volunteers. Guess JPD could argue that their volunteers are the Reserve Officers. In that case, why not just leave the Foundation alone. As usual, more unanswered questions about motive and lack of institutional understanding.

ChrisCavanaugh

Apr 15 2007

besides refusing any support or gifts from JPF, there is not much they can do to it.

Kingfish

Apr 15 2007

Everyday, more & more, Anderson confirms my belief that she doesn't have a clue.

thetruth

Apr 16 2007

I guess that is the Truth!

Danno

Apr 17 2007

I would be willing to put my neck on a choping block to a bet that Sherline did not come up with this craziness on her own. melton told her what to do and how to do it. She has not shown any assertive behaviors in the past so why would this be any different? Robinson should not be the least bit surprised if melton pulls out. He would be willing to lose everything the police department gains from this relationship, just to prove a point. Hasn't he done something similar? Remember the $278,000 check that was returned to UMC. He simply said, "WE DON'T NEED IT."

justjess

Apr 17 2007

The check had Chief Moore's and Johnson's name on it Former Mayor Johnson initiated the relationship that caused the availability of this money.

justjess

Apr 17 2007

UMC? what are you talking about?

Kingfish

Apr 17 2007

P.I.L.O.T. - Payment In Lieu Of Taxes.

ChrisCavanaugh

Apr 18 2007

I know this is a dead thread but I just thought of a great idea........change the name of the Corp, refile the Articles of Incorp or whatever needs to be done in order to make the foundation support Sherriff McMillan !!! Of course I don't know what red tape that would be or if everyone could be talked into agreeing to it, but I would sure try if I was a member.

Birdseye

Apr 30 2007