SWIFTON, Ark. – The police chief in Swifton ended his career over the weekend with a video of him slurring his profanity-filled words to an apparently calm driver. It happened in front of the civilian’s children and family.
At about 9 AM Monday morning, per The Jonesboro Sun, J.R. Moody submitted his resignation as police chief of Swifton. By resigning instead of being fired, his personnel records will remain sealed and exempt from Arkansas Freedom of Information Act law.
But the man who was on the receiving end of the tirade said that isn’t enough. He wants Moody to never again be a police officer.
The video was taken on Saturday and viewed 36,000 times as of this story. In it, then-Swifton Police Chief Moody is in a verbal disagreement with Steven Parker. Parker is in the driver’s seat as his wife films. He said his vehicle had his children in it, too.
Moody slurs his words to the observer but beyond that, Parker said he was clearly intoxicated – and driving. Despite the alleged-drunken man using profanities at another in front of his children, Parker said he could not get Jackson County authorities to “uphold their oath.” He said it took an hour of calling to finally get a unit and by then, Moody was long gone.
Police routinely protect their own from consequences under the practice of “professional courtesy,” although NEA Report does not yet have explicit evidence of that occurring here.
Roughly one day after the video was published online, the City of Swifton’s Facebook page referenced it with multiple posts between Sunday and Monday.
By allowing Moody to resign, the city allowed his personal records to remain sealed. With several others alleging Moody misbehaved while wearing his badge on the city’s page, it could shield the disgraced-man from consequences.
“Not really an isolated thing for him,” wrote Scott Bounds. “Just the first time we are seeing video footage. He left scars on my wrist and told me he turned his body cam off when he assaulted me. I am very excited for my upcoming court date. Guess he is just as awful off duty as he is on duty.”
Others questioned the city about an officer who allegedly refused to come take the report.
It’s not enough for the man who was on the receiving end of the profanity-filled tirade, though. Parker made several posts throughout Monday saying he is planning on pursuing whatever legal action he may have at his disposal.
Swifton moved their city council meeting to Monday night, 7 PM, in order to address the hot topic created by the former chief’s behavior.
One of our readers, Stefanie Beard, attended the meeting and shared this.
I attended the meeting. I felt like the city did a great job at handling a very difficult situation. They acted very professional and listened to each and every concern that the citizens had. They issued a verbal apology to Steven Parker and his family and I felt like that was needed and was glad they did that. I feel like our city officials will learn from this and be able to better serve the people. – Stefanie Beard
Tuesday/9 AM Update:
Heather Ann Parker also attended Monday’s impromptu council meeting. She had good cause, since she was there when it happened. Steven is her husband. She did not feel the city’s response to the suspected intoxicated state of the former chief was adequate.
In addition, a new report in Tuesday’s edition of The Sun indicates Moody did not tender his resignation until sometime around 9 AM on Monday. A Sun reporter asked the mayor if he had forced Moody to resign and the mayor didn’t answer the question.
Actually the AFOIA allows you to obtain a copy of the non-exempt portions from his personnel file regardless if he quits, gets fired or still works there. You can obtain and complaints filed about him and also get his records from CLEST that will show if he was ever fired from another law enforcement agency.
badge or no, a drunken belligerent cursing at my family would have gotten knocked the eff out. They while he’s laying semi-conscious on the ground, the arriving officers won’t have a choice but to see that he’s drunk.
Did you know that Parker’s mother was busted for meth in Swifton and that Parker said he would get both of the Swifton officers, and the he backed out in front of Moody and then brake checked him. Funny that there is no video of the beginning altercation. There is much more to this. I am not defending Moody for driving and drinking, and he is not more than an aquaintance.
So do u have proof that Mr Parker made this statement? And if he was brake checking did Mr. Moody say anything about it in the video?
What does it matter if his mother was busted for meth? Are you proud of 100% of the things that your family members do? How do you know what happened? Were you there? If you were, why didn’t you stop him from drinking and driving?
You’re defending him awfully hard for someone who’s not more than an acquaintance…
And another thing, Parker used the same foul language at the meeting that he complained about.
And did he do it in front of Moody’s kids? Directly at Moody?
No?
Then it’s not the same thing.
What did he say? Was he mad about the response to questions he was asking?
Maybe someone should spank u in the mouth with a baseball bat Sjon you fucking cop sucking pig