By Stephen Dawkins

A park is usually a peaceful place where people can relax. Jemison City Park has become anything but.

City officials have received reports of loud, profane language and even louder music–and are vowing to take back the park for those that would use it as intended.

City Council member Sam Reed brought up the issue at Monday’s City Council meeting, and Mayor Eddie Reed voiced a strong opinion.

“I think our parks are for the people,” Eddie Reed said. “They should not have to be afraid to go to our city park, so we’re going to stop that in that park.”

Jemison Police Chief Shane Fulmer said the problem is young people–as many as 50-75 on weekends–gathering around the basketball courts and “creating an environment where people just don’t want to go out there.”

Fulmer said the basketball courts are there for people to use, but it’s often the hangers-around that cause problems.

Officials suspect many of the culprits are out-of-towners that have somehow decided on the park as a gathering place.

Fulmer said he doesn’t intend to let that continue.

“We’ve taken steps to try to curb that, and we’re going to continue to do it,” he said.

Playground equipment and bathrooms at the park have been vandalized. Members of the undesirable group are suspected, but Fulmer said no one has yet been arrested or charged with any crimes.

But ramped-up patrols will continue.

“People should be able to enjoy it, and we’re going to do everything we can to make sure they do,” Fulmer said.

By Stephen Dawkins

Interstate 65 Exit 219 will be the front door to Jemison’s expected growth in the coming years.

So, city officials want to sweep off the welcome mat.

Jemison Police Chief Shane Fulmer said litter around businesses—and even state property—is a problem at the exit.

“There are places out there that literally look like a landfill,” Fulmer said. “We want our exit, because it reflects our city, we want it to be clean. And right now, it’s an eyesore.”

Litter has collected especially on steep hillsides, swampy areas and in thick brush.

Fulmer said Jemison police officers recently hand delivered copies of the city’s litter ordinance to businesses in the area.

“We’re giving them a chance to clean it up,” he said. “If they don’t, we’ll send them a formal letter, give them 10 days, and then if it’s still not cleaned up we’ll start issuing citations.”

Fulmer also said he would contact state officials about the litter on right of ways.

The exit is the city’s worst spot for litter, Fulmer said, but there have problems elsewhere.

Jemison uses inmates to clean up around the city, and others get involved, too.

Fulmer said he has sifted through bags of trash thrown beside roadways, looking for a way to identify the culprit. And he has been successful.

Ultimately, though, the only way to eliminate litter is for people to stop littering.

“There are times when you can pick up, Highway 31 to Thorsby, and two days later, it’s in the same shape,” Fulmer said.

By Stephen Dawkins

Jemison: Where the water flows like…it’s free.

City officials won’t be adopting that as a new motto anytime soon and, in fact, have been working to prosecute those suspected of stealing water.

One Jemison residence had illegally used an estimated 68,000 gallons of water over a period of about four years, Police Chief Shane Fulmer said, in what has become a more common problem for the city.

“In the past two and a half weeks, we’ve had more trouble than we’ve ever had,” Fulmer said.

Three people from two different residences will be prosecuted in April in municipal court for tampering with water meters to allow the flow of water onto their property without paying for it.

In both cases, service had been cut off, but the suspects broke a lock that is put on the meter.

In one case, the suspect also altered the meter to prevent the numbers from turning, making it impossible for Water Department employees to tell the water was running.

If convicted, the suspects would be forced to pay restitution for the water stolen and $86 for the broken meter and curb stop, the locking mechanism.

“We want people to know that it is criminal mischief,” Fulmer said. “If we get complaints or we figure out something is going on, we’re going to do an investigation.

“They’re not just stealing from the city; they’re stealing from other citizens.”

City officials might receive complaints from water bill-paying residents, and the city’s Water Department employees often check the meters of homes that have had their service terminated.

In the case of the long-term water thief, Animal Control and Code Enforcement officer Bobby Tucker was actually checking the residence after an animal control complaint and saw evidence of running water. Tucker knew the residence was not supposed to have water, and the investigation began.

“The Water Department does a good job of paying attention,” Fulmer said. “If anything is suspected, we work together to figure out what is going on.”

By Ben Flanagan

Jemison Police Chief Shane Fulmer is proud of his department’s first year on the job.
Last February, the city council named Fulmer police chief, and he’s done his best to fill that role as professionally as he possibly can.
Thanks to the support of an efficient staff and a welcoming community, Fulmer’s job has been made easier, he says.
“We’ve got a great group of officers, in my opinion,” Fulmer said. “The citizens have been really receptive and supportive. We have an outstanding mayor and city council to work with and work for. Everything’s great.”
In his first year, the community has welcomed Fulmer with open arms by working closely with him to keep Jemison safe, he said. He said the department has a solid relationship with the city schools.
“We’ve been welcomed and accepted by the schools here on a daily basis,” he said. “We work closely with them by participating in disaster and fire lockdown drills. It’s a good relationship.”
He’s happy he can personally help and talk with the citizens every day when they need it.
Fulmer and his department have seen a rise in technological innovations in police work that requires sudden and swift adjustments.
He said his officers continue to answer that call as they learn new law enforcement techniques.
“I’m so glad to see officers work as hard as they do,” he said. “That makes you proud of who you’ve got working for you and how they do their jobs. I’m proud of our being able to maintain and keep up with today’s technology demands with little or no cost to the taxpayers.”
Fulmer said the Jemison department is roughly 75 percent committed to electronic police reporting.
Most of it is done by e-mail or on other computer databases.
Currently working with a staff of 10 full-time officers, Fulmer is quite fond of those who surround him in the office and serve the city of Jemison.
“We’ve been able to recruit some really good officers that I think have been assets to the city,” he said. “We’ve also done a good job with recruiting potential officers for the future in our reserve program.”
In addition to his father and grandfather, Chief Fulmer’s family includes several others who serve as law enforcement officers.
His brother, Billy, is an Alabama State Trooper as is a cousin, and an uncle serves as a deputy sheriff in Dallas County. Fulmer takes a particular pride in continuing that family tradition of law enforcement that involves treating people respectfully.
“Police work isn’t the only family tradition,” he said. “It’s also about doing it with integrity and honesty. It’s about treating people the way they should be treated and doing what’s right.”
One challenge he’s seen this past year is stepping away from what he calls “on the beat” street policing and transitioning into full-time administrative work. But even if he doesn’t get the hands-on experience he had years before, he’s accepted that new responsibility with open arms.
“The administrative aspect to this job is crucial in ensuring the department is run like it should be,” he said. “It’s my job to ensure the officers are well-trained and that they continue with their training. Really and truly, every aspect of the job has been a great opportunity for me. I’ve enjoyed every day and minute of it.”
Fulmer said the responsibilities and demands of a police chief are astronomical, especially if you want the right kind of results. He insists he inherited a strong department, then with nine full-time officers, but they have worked hard to embrace and understand the technological breakthroughs in how they perform nearly every day.
His staff has answered that call with conviction, he said.
“We’ve got a great group of officers, men and women,” he said. “They really listen well. They’re receptive about getting the training they need. Jemison should be proud of them. They act professionally, and I’m here every single day to ensure it stays that way.”
In the future, Fulmer, said he’d like to add a few more officers to the department.
“I would love to have at least two officers on shift for 24 hours per day and seven days a week,” he said. “Whether or not that happens will have a lot to do with population growth and economic development.”
If the budget ever allowed it, he would also like to add two traffic homicide officers to the staff to work on traffic accidents resulting in death thanks to recklessness. Ideally, he would have two existing Jemison officers make the transition into that role.
“I’m just glad to be in a position where I can personally serve the people and ensure the whole department does its part in serving the people in a professional way,” Fulmer said.
In October 2007, he joined the Jemison Police Department as a patrolman and was promoted to assistant chief and investigator in June 2008.
Fulmer was named interim chief at Jemison when former chief Brian Stilwell became police chief in Clanton in December 2008.
He graduated from Selma High School and enrolled in the Alabama Police Officers’ Training Program at the University of Alabama. He also earned a criminal justice degree from Virginia College and has attended many law enforcement programs and conferences.
Chief Fulmer left Maplesville’s Police Department in 1995 to become a patrol officer for the city of Clanton. In 1999, he joined the Chilton County Sheriff’s Department as its narcotics investigator. Later he became the sheriff’s department’s chief investigator before coming to Jemison.
Fulmer and his wife, Angela, are the parents of three children, Hailey, Collin and Allie. His wife is a certified court reporter.

By Justin Averette

Nine people face drug distribution charges after a three-month investigation by Jemison Police.

The arrests follow an undercover sting that targeted drug dealers who were selling crack cocaine and other illegal narcotics on Jemison streets. The operation began in November.

Those arrested were:

•Bobby J. Davis, 41, of Thorsby.

•Sophia Lara Davis, 23, of Thorsby.

•Katorri Rashaurd Martin, 22, of Thorsby.

•Reginald Antonio Frazier, 26, of Thorsby.

•Cornelius Wade, 22, of Thorsby.

•David Dewayne Hayes, 32, of Thorsby.

•Roscoe Simon Boykin, Jr., 52, of Jemison.

•Jim Taylor Jr., 51, of Jemison.

•Arliss Oneal Hudson, 23, of Jemison.

As of Friday evening, investigators are still looking for Beatrice M. Baker, 23, of Clanton; Tiffany Rockell Kine, 29, of Clanton; and David L. Jenkins, 61, of Jemison. All are wanted on outstanding warrants connected to the sting.

In total, the investigation netted 34 unlawful distribution of a controlled substance charges involving these 12 individuals. The crime is a Class B felony.

“We are doing everything we can to keep these dangerous drugs off our streets and away from our citizens, especially the kids,” said Jemison Police Chief Shane Fulmer. “We will continue making these types of cases and arresting those individuals who chose to be involved in this dangerous criminal activity.”

Fulmer noted that a majority of those arrested weren’t from Jemison and said the city won’t tolerate people bringing drugs into the city.

“I would say to those who distribute drugs on our streets and to the ones that may decide to in the future, if you didn’t get caught and arrested as a result of this operation, at some time in the future you will,” Fulmer said.

Lt. Marc McMinn and Sgt. Jeff Manasco led the investigation for Jemison Police.

Fulmer also thanked Clanton Police Chief Brian Stilwell who provided extra officers to help with the cases.