[07/24/01] Mayor Laurence Leyens and Police Chief Mitchell Dent took flowers to an elderly resident of Oak Street Monday after officers broke in her door while chasing a man for questioning about a nearby burglary.

It was the second time in two weeks the chief and new mayor have apologized to a resident for police actions. Last weekend, Leyens and Dent took flowers to a woman on Marcus Street who was scared after city officers who were assisting the Mississippi Department of Corrections went to her door.

They were searching for a suspect, but at the wrong home. Dent said the officers were given the address by the DOC.

Sunday night, police broke in the door at the home of Shirley Naylor, 2314 Oak St., after a man the officers were attempting to question about a burglary earlier at the Belle of the Bends bed and breakfast ran into the unlocked front door of the home. Naylor, who requires oxygen to help her breathe, said the officers should have knocked before kicking in her door.

“I could have been naked,” she said.

The woman explained to Leyens, Dent, Community Improvement Coordinator Robert Hubbard and Deputy Chief Jack Dowe how officers entered her home in search of the man around 7:45, threw the man on her couch and dragged him out of her house in handcuffs while she watched from a bed less than 10 feet away. Although she said she was upset by the events the night before, Naylor told Leyens and the officers that she understood that the police were doing their jobs.

“He (the man) had no business running up in here,” Naylor said.

Despite all the excitement, the man police had captured was not responsible for the burglary a few blocks away, but was wanted on warrants for failure to comply with a police officer’s orders and contempt of court, both misdemeanors.

“We are looking into it and we are going to take care of it,” Dent told the woman.

Along with an apology from the mayor, Naylor was given a $20 bouquet of flowers which Dent paid for out of his own pocket.

Last week, Leyens bought the flowers for the resident on Marcus Street.

“There’s nothing that could have been done” to prevent this, Leyens said. “But we can show that we care.”

He said the city will reimburse the home’s owner for the cost of repairs to the door.