Tchula PD officers and chief say they were fired with no explanation

TCHULA, Miss. (WLBT) - “I really don’t know what to tell you honestly, why we’re fired. I asked the mayor why we were fired. She said herself like she can’t even tell us,” former Tchula police officer Jerveonous Bryant said.

The city of Tchula is down to just two officers in their police department after the board of alderman fired 3 officers and the chief of police. But why were they let go? The officers say they’re asking the same question.

“All I know is I was there trying to do a good job. I had nothing negative against me. Never did anything wrong or moved outside of the line of law and still lost my job,” said former Tchula police officer, Joseph Carmichael.

During the board meeting on September 8th, one officer says residents told board members that the officers were taking CashApp payments for tickets.

However, when 3 On Your Side asked Mayor Annie Polk if that was true or if that was why they were fired - she said no.

According to former officer Quintrell Stewart, he thinks revenge had something to do with his termination.

“We patrolled hard one night, you know, the city has an ordinance - clubs be closed at 12. We went to the club, it was about 2:30 in the morning, and we shut the club down. You know, then word got out that the club was owned by the cousin of one of the aldermen.”

After the board meeting, all the officers and chiefs requested a hearing to discuss their termination.

However, even though the Mayor signed off on the letter, the meeting was denied. Bryant says despite being fired, one alderman reached out about other employment - which didn’t add up to him.

“It’s crazy because some of the aldermen, when they terminated us, they were even calling other cities to recommend them to hire us. That’s how, you know, I’m a good officer, I’m gonna get the job done.”

“It’s like they knew they already had their minds made up that they were going to terminate us at the board meeting,” Stewart added.

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