BRADENTON, Florida — The president of Manatee County’s NAACP chapter says he’s being targeted by a Bradenton police officer.
Rodney Jones said his complaints to the police chief and mayor went unheard and things got ugly when he spoke at a city council meeting this week.
“Get your hands off of me, I haven’t done anything,” Rodney Jones yelled out as he was dragged out of a Bradenton City Council meeting by a deputy.
“It hurts me. It’s 2019, 2019. For me to go complain about my safety, my daughter’s safety, my community and I was removed,” said a tearful Jones during his press conference Friday.
Jones said he’s being harassed by a Bradenton police officer, and it’s not just him.
The officer has "been brutalizing our community,” said Jones. “Retaliation, use of force, abuse of force, beating people, stealing from people, planting dope on people, breaking jaws.”
Jones claims the officer parked in front of his home, but police records show it was actually a traffic stop.
Jones says he filed a complaint against the cop and believes he is trying to intimidate him. That’s why he wanted to speak at the city council meeting.
“You have three minutes, Mr. Jones,” Bradenton Mayor Wayne Poston told Jones.
Poston says Jones arrived about a half hour late to the city council meeting, but he let him speak anyway. But when time was up Jones asked for more time. When he didn’t get it he told the city council, “I’m going to finish either way. I’m telling you I feel my life is in danger. The fact we have allegations against a cop."
"You feel the police is putting your life in danger?" the mayor asked.
Jones replied, "Absolutely.”
Jones refused to stop. “I’m going to finish, or you will have to arrest me.”
Jones began yelling at the mayor, causing Police Chief Melanie Bevan to stand between them before officers escorted Jones out.
“I think we were more than fair,” Poston told 10News. “He didn’t bring any specifics forward -- all he brought was his opinion. We asked him on several occasions to bring us people who want to lodge a complaint he’s never done that.”
Jones claims he has those complaints but won’t give them to anyone but the FBI.
The NAACP has since asked Jones to stop making these allegations, but he says he won’t.
An emotional Jones told reporters, “I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to do as a community leader, as a black man. I refuse to back down for anybody.
Bradenton police are looking into some of Jones’ allegations.
He was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after the meeting, and may lose his position with the NAACP if he doesn’t back down.
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