Mayor fires officer
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Ferriday &8212; Mayor Gene Allen fired a Ferriday Police Department patrolman on Wednesday because he had received too many complaints about the officer from citizens.
Allen fired officer Brantley Sullivan after his 90-day suspension period had ended, the mayor said.
&8220;When you start getting six or seven complaints a day, it&8217;s time to do something about it,&8221; Allen said.
Allen said he received several calls from people complaining that Sullivan harassed them.
Sullivan said before he was fired he issued more tickets than any other officer on the force.
&8220;Just last week Mayor Allen commended me for doing such a good job and that he was proud
of me,&8221; Sullivan said.
Sullivan also said he issued a ticket to the mayor&8217;s wife, Bonnie Allen, for running a stop sign over the weekend.
Ten minutes after he issued the ticket, Sullivan said he received a call from Lt. Ricky Hollins, telling Sullivan to return to the station and turn in his tickets.
&8220;He told me not to issue any more tickets for the day, and on Monday my patrol car was taken away,&8221; Sullivan said.
Hollins would not release any phone records of any possible conversation Thursday, saying Chief Richard Madison must approve it.
Madison could not be reached for approval.
&8220;I&8217;m the Lieutenant of the Ferriday Police Department and it&8217;s my job to take every ticket the officers issue,&8221; Hollins said.
Allen said he did not fire Sullivan because the officer issued a ticket.
&8220;I would never fire someone over issuing a ticket to anyone in my family,&8221; Allen said.
&8220;He gave my son a ticket once and I didn&8217;t fire him then.&8221;
Earlier that day Madison said he thought Sullivan was doing a good job with the department.
&8220;I made no recommendation to fire him and I don&8217;t have the power to do so,&8221; Madison said.
&8220;The mayor made the decision and I&8217;m sorry to see him go.&8221;