Court records reveal that the ex-chief of the Brookside police department has admitted to using his previous badge to avoid a traffic stop in southern Alabama. This incident occurred two years ago and highlights the troubled nature of the department.
According to court records, Mike Jones has pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge of impersonating a public servant. This charge was reduced from the original felony count of impersonating a peace officer.
Covington County Judge Julie Moody has issued a ruling that requires Jones to pay a $25 fine, in addition to a $350 bail bond fee and attorney’s fees and costs. Furthermore, she has mandated that he surrender his police certification.
Judge Moody issued an order on April 24 stating that the Defendant is not allowed to work as a peace officer in Alabama.
According to court records, Jones will avoid jail time as long as he remains law-abiding over the next two years. The judge suspended a three-month sentence as part of his plea deal with the Covington County District Attorney’s Office.
Jones fully paid the amount he owed on May 14, according to court records, which totaled $621.
His attorney, William White of Boles Holmes White LLC in Birmingham, has not yet responded to requests for comment as of Wednesday afternoon.
In April 2022, Jones was pulled over by a Covington County deputy for driving 78 mph in a 55 zone. According to court records, the deputy reported that Jones had displayed a Brookside police badge out of the window. However, it was later revealed that Jones had either resigned or been dismissed from the police department of the small town three months prior.
From January 2018 to January 2022, Jones spearheaded the expansion of the police department in Brookside, a small town with a population of approximately 1,250, situated just north of Birmingham. Investigative reporting by AL.com revealed that during this period, the department expanded from a solo operation to a team of 14 officers. Disturbingly, they targeted motorists, utilizing fines and forfeitures as a means to generate almost half of the town’s income by 2020.
In response, the police department of Brookside faced significant consequences. A state court judge, along with the Jefferson County District Attorney, dismissed numerous cases. Furthermore, the state conducted an audit of the police department, and the town took the initiative to hire an external investigator to examine the department. In addition, state legislators implemented new laws, including a restriction that limits towns from utilizing fines and forfeitures for more than 10% of their budgets.
Jones currently resides in Panama City, Florida, according to court records.
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