Editorial: Ozark police officer makes the wrong choice

It’s not too difficult to see the quandary Ozark police officer Jessie Kellum found himself in when he discovered that the dirty 2-year-old a subordinate found sleeping in the middle of the intersection of Leatherwood Court and Bingham Street was his nephew.

We would like to think the officer was torn between doing what was right and doing what a family member might do.

He made the wrong choice. Rather than follow procedure and contact the Alabama Department of Human Resources, Kellum took his nephew back to his sister, the child’s mother.
The decision cost him several days’ suspension and a demotion from sergeant to corporal.

He should count himself as fortunate that he still has a job.

His first mistake was not calling in another supervisor when he discovered the subject of the call was a relative. That would have likely eliminated any questionable decision-making with regard to the child.
Ozark Police Chief Tony Spivey told an Eagle reporter last week that DHR is investigating the matter.

That’s what this episode should be focused on. The safety and welfare of the child is far more important than any disciplinary action within the department.