Cop who arrested, released teen fired

Published 12:00 am Friday, June 6, 2003

[6/6/03]A 10-year police officer was fired Thursday because he arrested a Vicksburg teen for playing, music too loudly and then released him without charges.

The Mayor and Aldermen voted to uphold the recommendation of Police Chief Tommy Moffett and fired Gary Cooper after a lengthy special meeting. Cooper’s attorney, who is related to the teen, later said the case will be appealed to the Civil Service Commission.

“Mr. Cooper, I’m sorry, but integrity in this department is the No. 1 issue, and this is very serious,” said Mayor Laurence Leyens. “And this single act has pushed us back to ground zero.”

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In an event that became public when 19-year-old Hildon H. Sessums reported it, Cooper is said to have handcuffed Sessums and placed him in a patrol car at a roadblock on Bazinski Road on May 22. Then, Sessums said, he was driven down the road, but Cooper turned around and released him without charges after learning his father is a physician and he’s distantly related to Cooper’s attorney, David Sessums.

David Sessums represented Cooper before the city board and said he had been a client on other matters. “I don’t know if my presence here today hurts him or helps him,” David Sessums said.

Moffett said Cooper has been suspended twice during the chief’s 20-month tenure, and the biggest issue was how much discretion officers take on duty. Moffett said officers do not have the authority to arrest someone and then release them.

“It is unacceptable in this department to allow any political influence,” Moffett said. “And this is a clear case of if you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours.”

Vicksburg has an ordinance against loud music. Sessums said country music was playing on his vehicle radio when he stopped at the roadblock.

In a letter, Hildon Sessums said it was clear to him he was being harassed and that he had lost respect for Vicksburg officers.

Cooper denied being influenced by the teenager’s relations, but said he felt sorry for him and wanted to give him a chance. He also said that it has been a common practice in the police department.

“I’ve seen officers handcuff and release people for years, and I don’t see anything in the (standard operations manual) in black and white that says it’s wrong,” Cooper said.

In April, Moffett announced a crackdown on loud music, parking laws and litter. Part of that crackdown included a directive from the chief that officers were not to give warnings any more and that people who are playing music deemed too loud are arrested and taken to the Vicksburg Police Department where they have to post bond or pay a fine, Moffett said.

In the first 30 days, officers arrested 27 people for violating the city’s noise ordinance and cited 22 others for parking in spaces reserved for the handicapped, but none for litter.

Moffett said he had even praised Cooper before for making arrests for loud music and had encouraged the officer to make more arrests.

The noise ordinance does not set specify decibels, but describes music as too loud if it, “disturb(s) the peace and quiet of a neighborhood, street or other public area…” Penalties are a $216 fine for a first offense, $432 for a second, a $600 fine and up to 30 days in jail for a third and a $1,000 fine and up to 90 days in jail for any subsequent offense.

David Sessums asked Moffett if the department had investigated allegations made by Hildon Sessums that he was made an example because he is white and the roadblock officers were black and if his music was in fact too loud. Moffett said they had not.

David Sessums also asked if any action had been taken by the department before a news article appeared last week in The Vicksburg Post about the incident. Moffett said he did not learn about the arrest until after the article was printed, but said it did not influence his decision. Sessums also said that Cooper should be disciplined for making a mistake, but that termination was too harsh.

“His heart was in the right place,” David Sessums said.

Normally, personnel matters before the city board are handled in closed sessions, but David Sessums asked that the media be allowed to remain. Although city officials did not object, the meeting was not televised on TV23, although the city’s sessions normally are.

In a previous case, the Civil Service Commission, made up of three city-appointed members, modified a punishment from termination to suspension for an officer accused in a DUI-related scandal. Although the commission has the power only to accept or reverse city actions, the compromise settlement was approved.ROLLING FORK n Retired senior Ollie Kyzar said she was thankful she decided to go to a health fair here Tuesday. She found out her hip could be in danger of breaking if left unchecked.

Kyzar, 69, found out she may have osteoporosis, a condition that caused bones to become fragile.

She and her husband, Reece Kyzar, took the free bone density tests offered at the Mississippi Christian Services Inc., 806 Pine St., which along with the Mississippi State Department of Health, First Steps Family Intervention Program and Friends of Children of Mississippi helped bring more health awareness to residents.

Kyzar said she plans to see her doctor in the next two days to have more in-depth tests done and to see about possible medications. She said she’d meant to get her bone density tested before, but never did.

“It was a matter of procrastination,” Kyzar said, holding her test results. “I meant to go.”

Rolling Fork, 40 miles north of Vicksburg on U.S. 61, has experienced difficulty keeping the area staffed by medical professionals in past months. The Sharkey-Issaquena Community Hospital’s emergency room shut down from Feb. 24 to March 7 because of medical insurance issues, leaving 8,854 residents in the two counties with Greenville or Vicksburg as the nearest venues for emergency care.

Also earlier this year, Sharkey County’s only pediatrician left the state, citing rising liability costs in the state.

The health fair featured agencies and programs aimed at helping people of all ages and an array of medical conditions, including developmental disabilities and diabetes.

LaDonna Sias, program coordinator for Mississippi Christian Services, said such fairs help many residents who are not able to go to the doctor for an assortment of reasons.

Val Smith, district coordinator for First Steps, said letting people know about services provided to them was one of the biggest goals of the day.

“I think a lot of people in the area just don’t know what’s available,” she said.

Smith said the fair’s goal was to attract at least 300 people.