Greenbrier and Tennessee officer resigns following excessive force allegations

GREENBRIER, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Greenbrier police officer resigned two days after a traffic stop sparked an internal investigation into alleged use of excessive force.

The stop occurred early in the morning of June 5 when police said Randy Roper, a 61-year-old Greenbrier resident, ran a stop sign at the intersection of Industrial Drive and Hwy. 41. Roper, a grandfather, told News 2 he was going to the laundromat.

Soon, Michael Jones arrived. The 25-year-old officer had been with the Greenbrier police force for two years. He began to question Roper about his unbuttoned shirt.

On body camera footage, Roper could be heard speaking with officers after the stop in the laundromat parking lot.

Roper: “I may have driven a little. There weren't even any headlights on the highway.

Officer: “Okay, you didn’t even stop at all.”

Jones: “What’s going on, boss?” What's wrong with your shirt?

Roper: “What’s going on with your shirt?”

Jones: “Your shirt is unbuttoned.”

Roper: “Because I just left the house to come do laundry.” »

Jones: “Okay, get out of the car.”

On the camera, the officer could be seen reaching into the driver's compartment to grab Jones, who was leaning back. This forced the officer to redouble his efforts to arrest the senior.

“Wow, wow, wow!” I didn’t do anything,” Roper said. “What what?”

During the struggle, the men continued to communicate.

Jones: “Get out of the car now.”

Roper: “Why?”

Officer: “For being aggressive.” »

After the physical altercation, which lasted less than 10 seconds, Roper sat on the door frame of his car. The other officers asked him to get up, but he told the officers his arm was stuck in the door frame and the seat belt.

Roper said his arm was injured and his cell phone was broken in the incident.

“My God. I’m an old man,” Roper said on camera. “I shouldn’t be manhandled like that.”

The officer also asked Roper how much he had to drink, but Roper said he didn't drink. Roper filed a complaint with the police department, but officials already knew about the incident and launched an internal investigation into what the department called “excessive use of force.”

“Immediately upon learning of the incident on June 5, 2024, Officer Jones was placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation,” reads a press release from the police chief , Buster Locklayer, and the mayor, Lanny Adcock. “This investigation was conducted quickly and thoroughly.”

Two days later, Jones resigned from the Greenbrier Police Department.

Locklayer and Adcock went on to write:

“The Greenbrier Police Department and the Mayor’s Office would like to emphasize that such behavior is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated under any circumstances. We are committed to ensuring that all members of our police force uphold the highest standards of professionalism and respect for the rights and dignity of all individuals.

Our primary duty is to serve and protect our community, and we take this responsibility very seriously. We are taking immediate steps to review our training policies and procedures to prevent any future occurrences of this nature. Additionally, we are improving our oversight mechanisms to ensure accountability within our ranks.

We understand that incidents like this can erode public trust, and we are committed to restoring and maintaining your trust in our police department. We appreciate the feedback and cooperation of our community and will continue to work diligently to improve our service and ensure the safety and well-being of all our residents.

Press release from Locklayer & Adcock

Roper said he respects Locklayer for his quick and decisive actions and respects the officers of the Greenbrier Police Department. He also told News 2 he plans to pursue other legal avenues available to him.

Cordan: “Do you think you were a smart alec or not?”

Roper: “I gave it back to him as he gave it to me.” I am old enough to be this young man's grandfather. It’s not like before: respect all police officers, police officers have a job to do.”

Cordan: “They must respect you too?

Roper: “That's right, they must have thick skin.”

Ultimately, Roper was cited for running that stop sign.

During his two years on the force, Jones received five letters of commendation, including one for saving a person's life.