By MARCUS McCLAIN
NEA Town Courier
Following last month's police and fire committee meeting, the Blytheville Police Department issued a letter to the full council along with Mayor James Sanders. In that letter, the department addressed what they described as “a level of utter disrespect and animosity” towards Chief Ross Thompson and Assistant Chief Ricky Jefferson from councilman Matt Perrin.
Signed by various members of the department, the letter reads in part, “We the command staff and supervision of the Blytheville Police Department think it's time to clear the air and set the record straight. We are tired of being falsely accused of inappropriate actions and/or behaviors by Councilman Matt Perrin and are tired of politicians in our community allowing him to continue to belittle the chief and the department on a regular basis. Can you as a council not see that by allowing a sitting council member to berate the head of your police department every month you are only hurting the department and the city?”
The letter later continues, “Every other city department seems to be afforded the opportunity to give their monthly presentation at committee [meetings], but as soon as Chief Thompson or Assistant Chief Jefferson step up they are always under attack. We do not blame Chief Thompson for walking out of a meeting when he is being berated by one individual councilman, it just shows that chief has more integrity than to sink to that level.”
Here, the letter references September's meeting where Thompson excused himself after discussing a proposed ordinance concerning special events introduced by Perrin. During the meeting, Perrin stated his belief that the current ordinance hasn’t been enforced by the department, which Thompson strongly disputed.
Thompson noted his belief that the proposed ordinance would not address the direct issue, which he identified as block parties throughout the city. After exchanging their opposing views and speaking over each other for a moment, Thompson left the meeting. Committee chair Barbara McAdoo-Brothers approved Thompson’s exit.
Perrin has continuously voiced his discontent within both the police and animal control departments. He later told the Courier that since the letter was received, there has been no communication between himself and the police department.
“I think that I’ve only been fair in my time as a council member,” Perrins said. “Department heads don’t seem to like it when they’re underperforming and I ask them questions about their underperformance. I’m just going to keep asking the same questions until I get honest answers,” Perrins said. [The letter] has no impact on how I will continue to do my job.”
Officers also refenceced a lawsuit against the animal control department involving a family member of Perrin, suggesting an alternative motive.
The letter reads in part, “..it gives the appearance that by attacking animal control, maybe Mr. Perrin could be trying to inappropriately give his wife’s family an unfair advantage. I would think as a council that the Municipal League would advise you to shut down Mr. Perrin's unsubstantiated animal control rhetoric.”