Dothan’s police department is under scrutiny after a blog post alleged officers planted drugs and weapons on suspects for nearly a decade.
The Henry County Report, a blog run by the nonprofit Alabama Justice Project, claims the group obtained documents indicating more than a dozen officers on a special narcotics team routinely planted evidence in cases against young black men.
The documents from the Dothan police internal affairs division show complaints from both suspects and fellow officers that evidence was being planted. The cases were prosecuted despite the allegations, and many of those convicted are still in prison.
Current Dothan police chief Steven Parrish says the allegations against the department are false. He says one officer was disciplined for improper storage of evidence and was removed from the department.
The Henry County Report article also alleges the officers involved were all members of a neo-Confederate hate group. The Southern Poverty Law Center is currently investigating those claims.
Veterans in south central Alabama have the opportunity to learn more about access to health care. The Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System is holding its quarterly veterans town hall meeting.
Brett Robbins is the public affairs officer for the agency. He says many veterans come with concerns about their benefits.
“We generally bring the veterans’ benefit administration along with us so that way their staff is there to answer any benefit questions such as service connective disability ratings, pensions and so forth. The purpose of our town hall meetings is to hear from our veterans.”
The meeting is open to the public and will be held at the Alabama Southern Community College Science building, room 104 in Monroeville at 1PM.
Students at the University of Alabama may soon be having more meals on wheels. APR student reporter Alaina Upman has more on a plan to bring more food trucks to the Tuscaloosa campus.
The Student Government Association’s food and nutrition committee is working with campus leaders to allow more food trucks on school grounds. It’s not as easy as it sounds. The university has specific rules on which spots food trucks can park and serve customers without disrupting traffic. Committee member Elizabeth Patton says the idea is worth pursuing.
“It’s something that would really enhance student life, and that students at Alabama would really enjoy, especially since they do have food trucks on other campuses like Alabama. It would create a good student tradition here that people would really respond well to.”
If allowing food trucks on campus doesn’t work, an alternative plan would put the trucks in church parking lots within walking distance.