Midland City without police chief
Jay Hare /
Keith Rinehardt, shown here in a file photo, is no longer chief of police in Midland City.
The Midland City Police Department has one less officer working the streets after the police chief was relieved of his duties Tuesday.
Bob Brogden, an Ozark attorney who represents the town of Midland City, said Keith Rinehardt resigned as police chief after he refused to follow an order handed down by Mayor Virgil Skipper and the town council.
Tom Brantley, who represents Rinehardt, said his client did not quit and plans to contest how he lost his job.
“He was accused of using his police vehicle for personal use by going to work another security job at BamaJam,” said Brantley, who represents Rinehardt through the Police Benevolent Association. “It was not a resignation. It was a termination.”
Rinehardt said Midland City hired him as police chief in November 2008. He previously worked as a K-9 officer for the Dale County Sheriff’s Office.
Brogden said Rinehardt resigned after he refused to follow an order by Mayor Virgil Skipper to change the unmarked vehicle he drove as police chief to look like a patrol car. Brogden said for some reason Rinehardt said he would not mark his car, and quit.
“He resigned, and they’re not going to let him come back,” Brogden said. “He just got all irate and mad and told the mayor he would not drive a marked unit.
The mayor told him we don’t need you on foot patrol. If you want to quit you can turn in your badge and gun.”
Brogden said Rinehardt turned his badge in to the mayor, but refused to turn his gun in. Rinehardt said he later turned his gun in to Lt. Keith Walker. Brogden said there is no acting or interim police chief, but Walker will handle the duties of police chief.
Brogden said it’s unclear why the town council wanted the chief’s car marked, but he said they voted for it to be marked.
“You can’t sit there and tell the city council you’re not going to do something,” Brogden said. “We don’t need the chief of police riding around in an undercover car.”
Don Parker, a member of the Midland City town council, said Tuesday afternoon he was not aware the police chief’s position had changed until an Eagle reporter called him. Parker said the council met Tuesday night, and did not discuss anything about the police chief’s position.
Parker, who formerly served as mayor, said if Rinehardt was fired he has six days to file a grievance with the town, which would be heard before the council.
“I thought everything was fine with Rinehardt,” Parker said.
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Reader Reactions
This Chief whether he is a good officer or not must understand the council and mayor is his boss, therefore if they want a marked car then it should be marked just as I have to follow my bosses orders he does to.
I grew up in Midland City and I know the politics and all associted with it. My father was fire chief for numerous years before a town council wanted him to let a drunk drive the fire truck one night.
Midland City Pinckard, newton have all been speed traps at times and was even listed once in AAA motor.
Maryj you are right the police sit just outside the city limits in there jurisdiction and stop speeders. this happened with me from a previous police officer, I won my case because the officer did not have a marked sticker on his car and I refused to stop until I got to my parents home for my safety.
Alabama Law I believe states that a person does not have to pull over for an unmarked police car for there own safety. Someone correct me if I am wrong I will go in and check the law. Alabama DPS uses some cars marked only on the passenger side because of this law. Now if the chief went and was using the cities car at Bama Jam as a security then he should reimburse the town for it’s use, he placed a cost on the town that exceeds his use of the car. Now the town council should say how far an officer off duty may go if they are using it for personnal use like the City of Dothan.
I don’t know what the squabble is but if the Chief does not want to drive a marked car and the council says he must then he should do as he is told not as he wants.
b.free86: He doesn’t do everything “by the book”. He works for the Town of MIdland City, which makes the mayor his boss. He should be fired if he does not comply with the request of the mayor and town council.
And yes, Midland City and Newton are both speed traps. The officers try to generate enough tickets to pay their salaries and justify their employment.
maryj, I have driven through Midland City countless times (on 231 and other streets), and I have never seen a police car hiding in any shadows. And I am very observant. Also, if you don’t live in Midland City and would never do so, how do YOU know so much about its city government and the employees there???? From your ranting, it sounds as if you are paranoid as well as bitter because you were actually caught speeding. Tsk, tsk. Oh, and btw, traffic tickets do not generate enough revenue to pay salaries, utilities, vehicle upkeep, supplies, etc. for a police department to remain financially sound. Taxes contribute a lot. I imagine there are other sources, but I am not savvy to them.
I’m confused, isn’t Midland City broke? Who is going to pay to have this car marked? Let me guess,the TAX PAYERS. From my understanding this Chief has turned the police departments image around for the good and has even been able to get much needed equipment for the department despite the mayor fighting him every step of the way. I would think everyone would want to have the best protection possible ie… better trained officers with the best equipment. It looks to me that this mayor is just trying to run the police department when he should be worried about running the city and getting the bills paid.
I am so amazed at how many people are now supporting the police department of Midland City. Prior to THIS chief being fired the reputation of the department wasn’t all that good. Midland City has a reputation of being a speed trap, whether you other posters want to admit it or not. Everyone knows that the police sit in the shadows, especially along 134 near the college, and wait for the students to leave and then get as many as they can. The citizens also know that there are numerous tickets written for speeding when the police officer KNOWS the person wasn’t speeding. Now all of a sudden the citizens are going to become irate because of the statement about “innocent drivers being ticketed”. Hate to say it, but it happens every day in this area, and not just in Midland City. These small towns need funds, and what’s the easiest way to get those funds? Write tickets. Most people will just pay the ticket rather than go to court, and going to court in Midland City can be compared to a kangaroo court. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not just the police department that lacks morals and ethics. The City Council, the court clerks and the secretaries in City Hall all have to share the blame for the reputation of Midland City. I don’t live in Midland City, and will never do so. It was bad enough when my kids had to attend Dale County High. The only thing Midland City is good for is the road between Ozark and Dothan. Even then drivers need to pay attention. Midland City police are on the prowl and they love to sit and wait and nab drivers for basically doing nothing wrong. Also, Midland City police have this nasty habit of, let me nice here, stalking people that have been ticketed before. It’s almost borderline harassment. Until the people of Midland City actually take an interest in their city, it will continue to have the reputation of a speed trap town, and corrupt city council and police officers.
I have known Keith since way back when we attended Dale County High together in the 70’s and I have NEVER known him to be anything but a good and decent person. I wish that I could say the same for others in Midland City government. It is a crying shame that the Chief is expected to drive a “marked” car but yet the water dept. truck, which is marked, doesn’t have a driver taht has the common sense to read a water meter. My water bill this month was more than triple from the norm and my meter is buried under about 6 inches of sand and has been for 3 months. I have been monitoring it to see if the meter reader would unbury it but I guess my inflated water bill was to be used to “mark” the Chief’s car.
I don’t know the police chief, but I have worked in law enforcement. Good hard working cops don’t make good police chiefs. They have to play the game with the politicians or they will be discredited and run off.
I honestly do not have a dog in this fight. But, I can’t help but laugh when I read maryj’s comment.
“Maybe now innocent motorists won’t be unfairly ticketed by a cop sitting in dark shadows…“
LOL! What? Are you serious? I may be wrong but, INNOCENT motorists would not get a ticket regardless of whether the chief’s unmarked car or the Batmobile is sitting in dark shadows. It is my belief that if someone merits a ticket, they can’t be considered innocent.
The whole story wreaks of corrupt, small town politics. Mr. Rinehardt will most likely thank the “good ole boys” of Midland City for forcing him out, in years to come.
Sounds like Midland City politics at its best. Lets see if we can remember how many Police Chiefs Midland City has terminated. What are the powers that be afraid of? A Few Good Men. Don’t they want descent men as the Police Chief. I know Keith Reinhardt and his family personally. I felt safe with him as the police chief. He doesn’t play favorites. (Then maybe thats the problem). Chief Reinhardt is one of the most even tempered individuals I have ever known, and doesn’t flash his badge or gun for respect. So what if he is in an unmarked car. There is more to this story than the wonderful politicians of Midland City want known. Now I know why there were 5 individuals running for mayor of Midland City.
To Chief Reinhardt & family, you have my support. Thanks for all that you have done, I will be praying for you all during this trying time.
This sounds like something that Virgil Skipper and the rest of his cronies (the council) would do. The Chief is not a patrol officer and therefore is no need to him to drive a “marked unit”. For as long as I can remember even back to the former police chief Jimmy Metcalf, the chief has always driven an unmarked unit. For the mayor to now order or in this case demand the chief to change his vehicle from unmarked to marked….is ludicrious. For the poster who was complaining about “entrapment”. Having an unmarked vehicle is not entrapment. If your worried about being stopped by an unmarked vehicle, then slow down.
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