Alderman Sir Jonathan Rucker said he is calling for resignations within the Yazoo City Police Department.
Rucker said he wanted to go on record during the recent Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting that there is too much “covering up” within the police department.
“With the recent occurrences with our police department, I’m calling for resignations,” Rucker said. “It was brought up in executive session that it can’t be documented unless action is taken. So, I want to call for these resignations because I want this to be documented in the minutes that I spoke up on this so when these things come out because they are going to come out…”
Rucker made specific reference to the recent allegations surrounding the beating of a Yazoo City man who was involved in an altercation with police officers.
“If it is the chief, a person with the chief, anybody who had knowledge…we need to deal with every person that was involved, not just one person,” Rucker said.
Chief Ron Sampson said the incident remains under investigation pending an interview with man allegedly involved with the incident. He also added personnel action has been taken.
“There was a rule violation but no beating,” Sampson said. “Corrective personnel action has been taken.”
Rucker also said there are other improper actions that have been carried out within the police department; one in particular that he said involved his relative.
“The mayor will tell me not to play on people’s emotions, but I am not trying to play on people’s emotions,” Rucker said. “This has been weighing on me with the things that have been going on in our city.”
But Sampson said he is unfamiliar with what Rucker referred to during the open meeting. He said he spoke with Rucker after the meeting but was not provided any information from him.
“I have no idea what (Rucker) is speaking of, and when I asked, he failed to give me the information,” Sampson said. “From the chief to a patrolman, if something took place, tell us what is going on so we can fix the situation, whatever it might be. Share it with us, whether it be something you heard or information you are sitting on.”
