Recent media reports have shed light on aggressive policing tactics undertaken by the Brookside Police Department in Jefferson County which seemingly amounted to excessive traffic fines, resulting in skyrocketing revenue for the town.
Alabama Media Group reports that the town of Brookside, which has just north of 1,200 residents, saw its revenue experience a 640% increase stemming from fines and forfeitures between 2018 and 2020. During the two-year period, Brookside’s revenue increased from $580,000 to over $1.2 million.
According to the outlet, the town of Brookside drastically increased its law enforcement presence along its six-mile stretch of road and a mile-and-a-half jurisdiction on Interstate 22. The town’s policing strategy had paved the way for a significant uptick in traffic-related violations.
Fines and forfeitures, car seizures during traffics stops, among other policing actions had doubled from 2018 to 2019. Revenue from such traffic stops sat at $610,00 in 2020, accounting for 49% of the town’s revenue.
The report outlined that by 2020, Brookside’s revenue from fines and forfeitures had exceeded any other revenue source by a significant margin. By that same year, the police department’s misdemeanor arrests had exceeded the number of citizens residing in Brookside.
At least five lawsuits currently face the town of Brookside, the outlet reports. Brookside Police Chief Mike Jones resigned after his force’s aggressive tactics were brought to light.
Alongside legal issues, the town’s leadership has faced immense public backlash since the reports surfaced.
The state’s highest-ranking officeholder to speak out against the alleged policing for profit scheme was Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth, who on Friday took to social media to denounce the tactics.
“The abuses [that] took place in Brookside were wrong, and we will take legislative action to ensure they cannot occur there or anywhere else again,” Ainsworth tweeted. “With rare exception, the men and women of law enforcement who protect our lives and property are honest and honorable individuals.”
Ainsworth advised that he would soon put forth legislation in an attempt to prevent such practices from occurring in the future.
He continued in an additional tweet, “But when a town generates roughly 50% of its revenues from ticketing fines, it offers strong evidence that dishonest practices are taking place, especially when compared to my hometown of Guntersville, for example, which collects only 1% of its revenues from fines. We will soon outline our legislation that will combat the bad actors and prevent those abuses from being repeated.”
Earlier this week, the lieutenant governor called for an audit of the Brookside Police Department and municipal court.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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