How can anyone be so stupid as to do that after all the turmoil we've been faced with?
CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Cleveland City Councilman Richard Banks says he is tired of the "unacceptable behavior" of city police officers and is concerned that Cleveland Police Department transgressions continue to be "plastered on the front page of the paper."
The city has been "showcased and spotlighted," Banks said this week, "but I think the general public wants to see a new day in Cleveland as far as its employees; in particular, its police department."
Banks said interim police Chief Mark Gibson is doing "a great job pulling the ranks together, but there are, evidently, some people who are - for lack of a better word - stupid about the way they allow their employer - the city of Cleveland - to be ridiculed and presented in the paper."
In Monday's council meeting, Banks questioned Gibson about Sgt. Eddie Bonnett, who resigned Friday, shortly after an investigation was opened into a complaint that he had used his personal cellphone to text an "inappropriate" photo of himself to a subordinate.
In response to a question by Banks, Gibson confirmed that Bonnett had sent the text while on duty.
"How can anyone be so stupid as to do that after all the turmoil we've been faced with?" Banks asked.
The department has had more than its share of embarrassment lately.
Two other officers remain under investigation on allegations they violated department policy by having extramarital affairs. Officers Carl Walls and Chad Nave took two women they met while on duty - a 20-year-old who participated in a police ride-along program and a 30-year-old who reported a domestic assault - to a Gatlinburg cabin for partying and sex on July 30, according to the Cleveland Police Department.
The older woman, Kim Minor, later claimed Walls sexually assaulted her, but a Bradley County grand jury indicted her on a charge of filing a false report. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents indicated she made the claim in retaliation against Walls after he ended the affair, according to the district attorney's office.
Gibson said the police department may face similar challenges in the future.
Cleveland police officer Eddie Bonnett has resigned after being placed on leave during an investigation. A female officer complained that Bonnett, her shift sergeant, texted her an inappropriate photo."We're going to have other people who do stupid things - that's just part of it," Gibson said. "We've just got to show we're dealing with it, and we're taking steps to deal with it."
It comes down to enforcing policies on inappropriate actions, including removing officers when necessary, he said.
The police department is searching for a new chief and undergoing changes in policy, procedures and organization in accordance with recommendations by consultant Larry Wallace, a 40-year law enforcement veteran who was hired in March after a sex scandal involving then-Police Chief Dennis Maddux and a subordinate officer's wife.
"We're still in that transition part where we still have some employees - a very small percentage - that will do something like this again," Gibson said. "We've got to deter them from doing this or get rid of them before they do it."
Banks disagreed with allowing Bonnett, who is on unpaid administrative leave until Saturday, to resign.
Banks told City Manager Janice Casteel that Bonnett ought to have been terminated, creating a deterrent to "any other person who might act out or do something similar."
Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland said he appreciated the firmness that Gibson, a finalist for the police chief position, has shown.
The other finalists are Jessie Brooks, a captain with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, and Timothy Christol, chief of the Red Bank Police Department.
Extensive background reviews and an assessment will be done on each candidate, with interviews set the week of Sept. 7.
The selection process is expected to be complete by Oct. 1, city sources said.
Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. Email him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.