Fast Facts:
(West Memphis, AR 8/31/09) Sandra Jones lives on the east side of West Memphis where police patrols were on standby last week.
The cops said they would come only when called. And they were there when she had four men who broke into her home while she was there.
They caught all the men in the act. She says she is happy they were arrested, but thinks they wouldn't have gone into her home if the police were out on the streets.
"If they was patrolling that morning, they would have been there on the money," said Jones.
People like Jones are the reason that police Chief Bob Paudert and NAACP president Willie Catha Jones decided to meet to get West Memphis cops back actively patrolling the east side of town.
"Regardless of what happened in the past we are putting it behind us," said Paudert.
"When you think about it, it for our own safety," added Catha Jones.
Catha Jones believes that those city council members should have gone to the chief for answers instead of going to the media. She told the Chief the handful of city council members did not represent the entire east side. She also said the community wanted the police back on the predominately black side of town.
Catha Jones and Paudert say they are going to work to reduce the amount of complaints coming from the east side of town. That includes putting more cameras in undercover cop cars and increasing the communication between the city council and police department.
Despite being back on the streets, Paudert says he's sure the conflict is not over and he will hear more from those upset council members, "I'm sure there will be more complaints but the people who represent that group are insignificant."
Paudert says his door remains open for anyone from city council to come and talk to him.
- West Memphis Police Chief Bob Paudert says patrols in West Memphis are back to full force as of this afternoon
- Chief decided last week he was only responding to calls and not patrolling east side of town
- This was after complaints from some members of the city council of harassment and fabricating a report
(West Memphis, AR 8/31/09) Sandra Jones lives on the east side of West Memphis where police patrols were on standby last week.
The cops said they would come only when called. And they were there when she had four men who broke into her home while she was there.
They caught all the men in the act. She says she is happy they were arrested, but thinks they wouldn't have gone into her home if the police were out on the streets.
"If they was patrolling that morning, they would have been there on the money," said Jones.
People like Jones are the reason that police Chief Bob Paudert and NAACP president Willie Catha Jones decided to meet to get West Memphis cops back actively patrolling the east side of town.
"Regardless of what happened in the past we are putting it behind us," said Paudert.
"When you think about it, it for our own safety," added Catha Jones.
Catha Jones believes that those city council members should have gone to the chief for answers instead of going to the media. She told the Chief the handful of city council members did not represent the entire east side. She also said the community wanted the police back on the predominately black side of town.
Catha Jones and Paudert say they are going to work to reduce the amount of complaints coming from the east side of town. That includes putting more cameras in undercover cop cars and increasing the communication between the city council and police department.
Despite being back on the streets, Paudert says he's sure the conflict is not over and he will hear more from those upset council members, "I'm sure there will be more complaints but the people who represent that group are insignificant."
Paudert says his door remains open for anyone from city council to come and talk to him.
