PageO Greenwood Commonwealth / Thursday, November 12, 2020 cfopq=obpmlkabop =======================================================================================================================================================================
‘Old-style policing’
PageP Greenwood Commonwealth / Thursday, November 12, 2020 cfopq=obpmlkabop =======================================================================================================================================================================
Greenwood Police Chief Jody Bradley
Top cop says getting to know people is key
G
reenwood Police Chief Jody Bradley is focused on community-based policing. “My philosophy is that we go back to the old cop-on-the-beat mentality,” he said. “Drive slowly, roll your window down, and acknowledge somebody if you catch their eye.” Bradley said it’s the Greenwood Police Department’s mission to bring back what he calls “some of that old-style policing.” He said people in a neighborhood know if there’s a police car driving around. “The question is: When are they going to get to know the officer in that car? That’s kind of our mission right now; we want them to know that officer in that car.” Bradley and his department have been working over the past year on implementing that community-based approach to policing, not only as a way to reduce and deter crime but also as a way to build better relationships with the residents in each of the city’s neighborhoods. “You make your friends before you need them,” said the 72-year-old police chief. “When I’m driving around, if I see somebody on the porch, I’ll wave at them. If it’s warm enough, I’ll have my window down and sometimes I’ll nod and say, ‘Hey, how’s it going?’ I always like to have a little bit of conversation, because that puts people at ease.” Bradley started in his role as head of the department on Dec. 2, 2019. He came to Greenwood from Woodville, where he had served as warden of Wilkinson County Correctional Facility for more than three years. Now, almost a year later, Bradley said he is enjoying his job and being in Greenwood. “It’s been challenging at times. I always like to say, ‘If I can’t enjoy doing the job, I’m not going to do the job,’ and I enjoy doing this job,” he said. The challenge, however, might very well be the reason why Bradley enjoys his job so much. v v v
A longtime prison warden, Bradley has been called a “prison fixer.” “I used to go into places that needed some tweaking,” he said. “Walking into sometimes tough situation is kind of how I made my career.” When he came to Greenwood, the department was down 33 officers. Bradley said he talked to the staff and asked what were department’s top three needs. They all said improved recruiting, retention and equipment. “So we’ve made a lot of headway in the equipment and the recruiting, and the retention is better,” he said. As of early November, Bradley said the department was down 13 total staff members, with only about half being officer positions and the rest supervisor positions. “We’ve been able to hire some folks and get them through the academy,” he said. “I have seven on board right now who are not certified, but we just hired them a couple of weeks ago. They are riding along with certified staff learning the streets, and they’ll go in January to the academy.” Helping in that area, Bradley said, is the department’s training officer, Capt. Terrence Craft. “He’s the one who does the recruiting,” Bradley said. “He is already working on three or four others.” Bradley said the department is relatively young, but they are working to bring in
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experienced people as well as some just starting their careers. “A lot of our folks are less than five years in policing. Some are less than three,” he said. “One of the things, with Capt. Craft’s help, is we’ve been able to identify and bring on board some already certified people.” Bradley also added the position of corporal. “The reason we did that is that’s my FTO (field training officers) program,” he said. “You now have a corporal, and what that corporal does is takes somebody by the hand and has them ride with them, but also they are learning to be a supervisor.” This develops the department’s career ladder, with the steps going from corporal to sergeant to lieutenant, who generally runs a shift, Bradley said. He’s also been adding detectives and wants to add another one because having more is what “helps us solve cases.” The department has recently beefed up its officer training program. “It’s very important that we train folks and train folks on a regular basis,” said Bradley. Deputy Chief Marvin Hammond has been creating training scenarios to help further develop the newer officers, and the department also now has a one-week orientation program for all of its new officers — certified or not — on procedures and policies. Now with enough officers, the department has also recently divided the city up into different patrol districts. “Whenever you finish a call, you go back to that district, and that goes back to the cop on the beat,” said Bradley. This allows the officers to get to know the people in their patrol districts, and the residents can get to know them. “Most often, if you return to that same location, your presence is noticed,” said Bradley. “The troublemakers notice when you are there. They notice when you leave, too, but they’ll know you’re coming back. So we are slowly but surely moving into that, and it will be a good thing.” The hope is to develop a line of commu-
nication between the officers and the residents. “It makes a difference,” Bradley said. With new ideas and approaches, Bradley said he told the staff when he first arrived, “You’re going to help me earn your respect. Until I earn that, then we’ll be kind of tiptoeing around each other a little bit.” “One of the things that I’ve really enjoyed is we’ve presented new ideas to staff that are maybe a little different way to approach different things, and they haven’t stonewalled,” Bradley said. “They have said, ‘OK, he asked us to give him a chance, so let’s see.’” Bradley said policing today is a tough business. “When I was growing up, you either wanted to be a policeman, a fireman or a doctor,” he said. “You don’t see that as much anymore. There’s just a lot of stress out there for the officers.” From crime to traffic accidents, some weeks are tough for all first responders, Bradley said. “I don’t care how big and bad you are, it’ll affect you,” he said. “If you care about people at all, it’ll affect you.” One way to help with the stress the officers face is by bringing in a department chaplain. Bishop Roger B. Jenkins will begin serving in that role this week, and Bradley is looking at adding another clergyman to the team, he said. “We want to have that tool for the staff and for the community to use,” the chief said. v v v
Since coming to Greenwood, Bradley and his wife, Barbara, have bought a house. They have been married for 27 years. She is a retired teacher who is still residing in Woodville, where she works at a library and antique store. While she’s looking for a job opportunity in Greenwood, she and her husband make the over three-hour trip to visit each other. But the temporary separation isn’t out of
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the norm. “We did 18 months one time like this,” Bradley said. “It’s kind of been like me being in the military.” Since they got married, the family has moved about 10 or 11 times. Bradley said, however, he’ll be glad when his wife is with him in Greenwood full time. The Bradley have a blended family, each having children before they married in 1993. Altogether they have three sons, two daughters, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. This isn’t the Bradleys’ first time being in Greenwood. They lived in the area in the early 2000s when the former warden was brought in to reopen Delta Correctional Facility. “There are still quite a few folks around that we knew,” he said. Bradley may look like a different kind of police chief to some, from the pickup truck he drives to what’s now become his signature hat that he wears. When he first arrived at the department, Bradley drove a newer-model white unmarked Dodge Charger. He noticed that some patrolmen needed a better car, so he offered them his Charger. “I said, ‘Y’all take my car and put new decals on it,” he said. “I talked to Brian Finnegan over at Greenwood Utilities, and I found out that they sell their used pickups. Hey, I’m a pickup guy. So I talked to him, and I got two very economically from them.” Bradley wasn’t sure if people would still recognize him in a pickup until someone said, “We know you’re still the chief. We know your hat; we see you coming down street.” “I actually wasn’t going to wear it all the time, but now that folks identify by it, if that works for them, it works for me,” he said. “Some people wear uniforms, and some don’t; I respect the uniform without a doubt. My philosophy is what makes the community comfortable, and right now this hat makes the community feel comfortable. ... It’s about developing those relationships.” n
PageQ Greenwood Commonwealth / Thursday, November 12, 2020 cfopq=obpmlkabop =======================================================================================================================================================================
Ready for anything
PageR Greenwood Commonwealth / Thursday, November 12, 2020 cfopq=obpmlkabop =======================================================================================================================================================================
Greenwood Firefighters
2 in department say job is hard, rewarding
T
wo Greenwood firefighters may not be the longest-tenured crew members in the fire house, but that does not stop them from being prepared to help the community. Christian Williams and Wardell Turner Jr. have been at the station for only three years, yet they bring plenty of compassion, understanding and assistance to the team. “It is a great experience here,” said Williams. “You don’t know what is going to happen, so you have to be prepared. It also helps to be working with people who become your family.” “It is very rewarding,” Turner added. “We get to help a lot of people, but also it is stressful sometimes when you can’t help.” Williams, 24, is a Greenwood native and graduate of Amanda Elzy High School. He attended Mississippi Valley State University for two years before fire training. Turner, 32, is from Mileston and went to both Tougaloo College and MVSU. Both attended the Mississippi Fire Academy in Jackson to learn the ropes — or rather hoses —and become skilled firefighters. Both say the academy is seven weeks of intense physical and mental training. “Training is tough,” Williams said. “It is a lot of hands-on lessons.” He said there were a lot of days where trainees had to be in their full gear, not to mention the grueling physical training and hours in the classroom. But ultimately, they both agreed it was all worth it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ `Üêáëíá~å=táääá~ãëI=äÉÑíI=~åÇ=t~êÇÉää=qìêåÉê=gêK=Ü~îÉ=ÄÉÉå=~=é~êí=çÑ=íÜÉ=dêÉÉåïççÇ=cáêÉ=aÉé~êíãÉåí=Ñçê=íÜÉ=ä~ëí=íÜêÉÉ=óÉ~êë=ïçêâáåÖ pÉÉ FIRE, m~ÖÉ=NN ïáíÜ=~=ÅêÉï=íÜ~í=íÜÉó=Ü~îÉ=Å~ääÉÇ=~=Ñ~ãáäóK=
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Paramedics
Critical thinking, quick decisions required
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sually the first to arrive at the scene of an emergency, paramedics are tasked with administering care to patients on the way to the hospital — and, if necessary, performing life-saving procedures while they’re on the road. The job, which requires responding to a 911 call at any moment’s notice as well as serving as the first line of defense for someone’s care, can be stressful. Still, many paramedics find the job rewarding. That’s the case for two local paramedics with Pafford Medical Services paramedics — Jason Knight and Drew Steele. Knight, 43, who works in Greenwood full time and lives in Ruleville, has been a paramedic for 15 years and has worked for Pafford since 2017. “Being a paramedic, you get to learn more advanced skills to do more pre-
hospital care,” Knight said, “so we can get on scene for the person that calls us and we can provide the best interventions while on route to the hospital for definitive care.” Paramedics can administer pediatric advance life support, intubate patients who are not breathing and do intravenous access for those who need medication, Knight said. The job requires quick critical thinking in high-stakes situations. Each paramedic is partnered with an ambulance driver who may or may not also be an emergency medical technician (EMT), the precursor to becoming a paramedic. “A paramedic cannot do their job without an EMT. Our partner is so important to us and the outcome of that patient,” Knight said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pÉÉ PARAMEDICS, m~ÖÉ=NN
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PageS Greenwood Commonwealth / Thursday, November 12, 2020 cfopq=obpmlkabop =======================================================================================================================================================================
Chief Jody Bradley
Deputy Chief Marvin Hammond Sr.
Lt. Jeri Bankston
Chief’s Secretary Whitney Barry
Officer Jason Belk
Officer Yvette Bishop
Sgt. William Blake
Dispatcher Alanna Brown
Municipal Court Clerk Felicia Cage-Bedell
Deputy Records Clerk Farrah Chandler
Officer Caleb Christian
Sgt. Melvin Cook
Deputy Clerk Mavis Cosper
Capt. Terrence Craft
Officer Cleother Crain Jr.
Dispatcher Claudette Curry
Officer Denarius Davis
Officer Bobby Edwards
Officer Bryce Elmore
Reserve Officer Jerry Foster
Lt. Roland Galvan
Lt. Edgar Gibson
Lt. Byron Granderson
Records Clerk Annette Griffin
Officer Jim Hammer
Deputy Court Clerk Kiyana Hart
Deputy Court Clerk Mable Hopkins
Officer Arriel Hutchenson
Officer Robert Jackson Jr.
Officer Omega Johnson
Sgt. David Layton
Capt. Talisha Leach
Officer Taylor Lofton
Reserve Sgt. Lonnie Magee
Officer Bryan May
Officer Keiandria McClee
Officer Megan McKinnon
Officer Hollis Myrick
Officer Alexis Nicks
Reserve Sgt. Steve Noble
Capt. Byron O’Bryant
Officer Shelia Peeples
PageT Greenwood Commonwealth / Thursday, November 12, 2020 cfopq=obpmlkabop =======================================================================================================================================================================
Officer Brittany Reed
Officer NaStacia Rice
Officer Tyauana Rucker
Sgt. Angie Rushing
Officer Anndreka Scott
Officer Larry Shaw III
Lt. Serafin Simon
Dispatcher Ashley Smith
Dispatcher Irene Stancil
Animal Control Officer Fitzgerald Stevenson
Deputy Clerk Sheletha Stokes
Reserve Capt. T.J. Tackett
Dispatcher Davita Triplett
Detective Secretary Joyce Turner
Janitorial Tech Newanda Webb
Dispatcher Teveeta Whitehead
Officer Deauntae Whitehead
Officer Jerry Williams
Officer Tanareika Williams
Cpl. Martellis Wright
Leflore County Director Fred Randle
Leflore County Deputy Director Dorothy C. Ivory
Carroll County Director Ken Strachan
Leflore County Coroner Debra Sanders
Leflore County Deputy Coroner Will Gnemi
Leflore County Deputy Coroner Jacquelyn Brownlow
Carroll County Coroner Mark Stiles
Leflore County Deputy Coroner Bill Lord
PageU Greenwood Commonwealth / Thursday, November 12, 2020 cfopq=obpmlkabop =======================================================================================================================================================================
Chief Marcus Banks
Assistant Chief John Lewis
Firefighter Julian Beamon
Capt. Lavar Bolden
Battalion Chief Tony Brown
Capt. Shun Byrd
Battalion Chief Willie Coker
Fire Marshal Charles Cooley
Lt. Jarvis Davis
Firefighter Curtis Elliott
Capt. Maurice Ellis
Firefighter Hunter Flanagan
Firefighter Jemmie Gatlin
Capt. Chris Glass
Firefighter Joseph Green
Firefighter Steven Green
Firefighter Mortarius Harris
Firefighter Carl Hayes
Firefighter Jameriz Hemphill
Capt. Scott Hemphill
Firefighter Kalcy Hill
Sgt. Travell James
Capt. Jamoni Jennings
Sgt. Christopher Jones
Capt. Sean Jones
Lt. Johnny Langdon Jr.
Sgt. Howard Lowe
Lt. Cedric Martin
Division Training Chief Martrellis McDowell
Firefighter Eric Moore
Capt. Detrick Munford
Firefighter Jabari Ollie
Firefighter Marquez Perry
Sgt. Marcus Ramsey
Capt. Jamie Simon
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Firefighter Demetrice Steele
Deputy Fire Marshal VIctor Stokes
Battalion Chief William Thompson
Capt. Marvin Turner
Firefighter Wardell Turner Jr.
Capt. Jason Wallace
PageV Greenwood Commonwealth / Thursday, November 12, 2020 cfopq=obpmlkabop =======================================================================================================================================================================
Sheriff Ricky Banks
Undersheriff Ken Spencer
Investigator Michael Baldwin
E-911 Wendalyn Brown
Deputy Eddie Cates
E-911 Lekeita Donley
Records Clerk Bessie Flowers
Secretary Debbie Fouché
Deputy Robert Haggie
Sgt. Danny Henry
Sgt. Michael Hoskins
Deputy Dwight McCaskill
E-911 Monica McCaskill
Deputy Alfred Price
Deputy Cameron Shaw
Deputy David Shaw
E-911 Dispatcher Angela Smith
Deputy Jermey Smith
Deputy Rodney Spencer
Chief Investigator Bill Staten
Deputy Colby Trotter
Deputy Len Wooden
Deputy Sheriff Ted Washington
Sgt. Cody Vanlandingham
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Sheriff Clint Walker
Chief Deputy Adam Eubanks
Warden Brandon Smith
Deputy Robert Anderson
Deputy Pleasant Banks
Deputy Roshaun Daniels
Deputy Hunter Davis
Deputy Kenneth Evans
Deputy Dustin Haddon
Deputy Trinity Hoover
Deputy Thomas Johnson
Deputy Michael March
Deputy Mark Mulconrey
Chaplain J.C. Stokes
PageNM Greenwood Commonwealth / Thursday, November 12, 2020 cfopq=obpmlkabop =======================================================================================================================================================================
Deputy Banks Tucker
Deputy Therrell Turner
Deputy David Ward
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PageNN Greenwood Commonwealth / Thursday, November 12, 2020 cfopq=obpmlkabop =======================================================================================================================================================================
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`çåíáåìÉÇ=Ñêçã=m~ÖÉ=R ---------------------------------------------------------Turner said that even though it was difficult, he worked hard both in the classroom and with his fellow trainees. “My experience was great,” he said. “What was incredible was that you go to meet people from all over the state who were training as well.” “You get a lot of time to connect with others during it,” Williams added. “You are going through all that learning with each other.” The two firefighters took different roads to the job. Turner was motivated to become a firefighter after he received third-degree burns at a young age and had to relearn how to walk. “It was very traumatic for me,” he said. After this experience he wanted to learn all about fire — how it starts, how it works and, most importantly, how to stop its
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^ÄçîÉW=`~êêçää=`çìåíó=cáêÉ pÉêîáÅÉë=áåÅäìÇÉë=íÜÉ `~êêçääíçåLkçêíÜ=`~êêçääíçåI s~ääÉó=eáääI=_ä~Åâ=e~ïâ=~åÇ eáÅâçêó=dêçîÉ=îçäìåíÉÉê=ÑáêÉ ÇÉé~êíãÉåíëK=cêçã=äÉÑí=~êÉ cáêÉÑáÖÜíÉêë=bêáÅ=cÉêÖìëçåI a~îáÇ=a~äÉI=hÉîáå=^î~åíI oçÄÉêí=páãë=~åÇ=^åÇó=sáåáåÖI eáÅâçêó=dêçîÉ=cáêÉ=`ÜáÉÑ `ççéÉê=jáäÉóI=`Üêáë píÉéÜÉåëçåI=qáã=táääá~ãëI ^äÉñ=dáääÉëéáÉ=~åÇ=qê~Åó oçÄÉêíëçåK=^ää=íÜÉ=ÑáêÉÑáÖÜíÉêë ëÉêîÉ=íÜÉ=`~êêçääíçåJkçêíÜ `~êêçääíçå=ÇÉé~êíãÉåíI=ïáíÜ a~äÉI=sáåáåÖI=~åÇ=jáäÉó=ëÉêîáåÖ eáÅâçêó=dêçîÉI=dáääÉëéáÉ=ëÉêîJ áåÖ=s~ääÉó=eáääI=~åÇ=oçÄÉêíëçå ëÉêîáåÖ=_ä~Åâ=e~ïâK
qÜÉ=páÇçå=sçäìåíÉÉê cáêÉ=aÉé~êíãÉåí áåÅäìÇÉëI=Ñêçã=äÉÑíI `~êäçë=pãáíÜI=oáÅÜ~êÇ pãáíÜI=nìáåíçêêáë g~ÅâëçåI=táääáÉ=pãáíÜI _çÄÄó=eìåíI=g~óä~ pãáíÜI=gÉêêó=pãáíÜI gÉêãÉó=pãáíÜI=táääáÉ kÉ~ä=~åÇ=lêä~åÇç pãáíÜX=~åÇI=åçí=éáÅJ íìêÉÇI=m~íêáÅâ=dê~ÅÉ ~åÇ=o~åÇó=pãáíÜK=kçí éáÅíìêÉÇW=qÜÉ=mÜáääáéJ ëíçå=ÇÉé~êíãÉåí áåÅäìÇÉë=_áääó=rëëÉêóI g~ÅâáÉ=páãëI=eçï~êÇ eçääáã~åI=qÉÇÇó=páãë ~åÇ=`~ëÉó=^äÇÉêã~åK= spread. When he learned that the Greenwood Fire Department was hiring, he jumped at the opportunity to join. Williams said it was almost as if he was born knowing he would do this. “People would always say how they knew I would become a firefighter,” he said. “And it was something I always wanted to do but didn’t think I would ever really be doing it.” He said he knew at 17 that this was the right choice and started planning to make it his career. “This is everything I expected,” he said. The job is very unpredictable, and they know they always have to be alert and ready to spring into action at any moment. They said that sometimes means long lessons and training so they can stay fresh on certain topics and procedures. That preparation helps them save others. One time that stands out for Turner was one of the early fires he worked on.
He said that when they arrived on the scene, a house was engulfed in flames. Luckily, the fire department was able to save half the home, and Turner said the thanks and gratitude they received from the homeowner was truly humbling. “She thanked us so much, even coming to the station days after the fact to give us baked goods,” he said. “You know we really helped a woman who needed it and saved some her most prized possessions.” But for them, this is just part of the job. “You know, every time there is a fire, you push to give it your best,” Williams said. But it isn’t all just flames and smoke. Williams said some of his favorite memories are at the firehouse when he and his friends can hang out, telling each other their favorite jokes. Once, Turner said, when the crew was hose testing the water equipment at the station, one firefighter for-
got to close the nozzle completely. “He was just getting him and everything soaked, and the whole crew just started laughing and laughing,” he said When Turner isn’t at the station, he is training at emergency medical technician school. He hopes to be able to do both someday. With what little time he has left, he likes to spend time with his wife, Bianca, and their three sons: Jacob, 9, Noah, 3, and Houston, 1. Williams, who is also an active member of the National Guard, said when he can find free time it usually involves watching his favorite football team — the Green Bay Packers — or playing video games. Both say they’re in firefighting for the long haul. “Greenwood Fire Department is a wonderful job, and I have nothing but respect for everyone here,” Turner said. “I plan on being here for a long time.” “I love it here,” Williams added. “This is going to be a lifelong career for me.” n
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`çåíáåìÉÇ=Ñêçã=m~ÖÉ=R ---------------------------------------------------------Knight’s schedule is 72 hours on, 72 hours off, with the understanding that an emergency call can come in at any time. “There’s no putting 911 on hold,” Knight said. Steele, 31, has been a paramedic for 12 years and has worked four years with Pafford. He lives in Meridian and is actually a flight paramedic but will also work as a paramedic on the ground when needed. Pafford has three helicopters and a twin-engine airplane, said Steele, who works primarily as a flight paramedic on a helicopter. An on-the-ground paramedic can handle a variety of situations, including trauma, shootings, strokes, heart attacks and slip-andfalls, Steele said. “If we show up at someone’s house, whatever is wrong with them, if they’re sick or injured, we have to get them to the hospital somehow some way” while also taking care of them, he
said. Situations that require transportation of patients to hospitals usually include trauma, gunshot wounds or car wrecks, Steele said. On flight, aside from the patients, are the pilot and a nurse and paramedic who are in charge of taking care of the patient, Steele said. Pafford’s helicopters have blood on flight. Patients who are airlifted from Greenwood are usually taken to hospitals in Jackson or Memphis. For both Knight and Steele, the hardest part of being a paramedic is the long hours. The rewarding aspect of the job, which overrides any hardship, is providing assistance to people. “It’s truly nice to help sick people who need help,” Steele said. “It’s kind of cliché, but none of us do it for a paycheck.” “It’s an exciting job, to be here for our community, to provide them with excellent pre-hospital service and not only pre-hospital service, we can do education,” Knight said. “You live in this community; why not want to help?”n
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