Selma Police Chief Spencer Collier disagreed with the accusations the law enforcement received from the Selma City Council during their meeting on Tuesday night, voicing his displeasure to the Selma Times Journal on Wednesday.

“The city council can say whatever they want, I answer to Mayor Darrio Melton, not the city council,” Collier said. 

The biggest complaint was where Collier resided. In the city ordinances, department heads and officers are required to reside in Dallas County.

Collier has an apartment in the county.

“I don’t live in the city limits,” Collier said. “The ordinance says you need to have a residence, not a permanent one.”

Melton backed Collier.

“As long as the department heads and officers reside inside the county,” Melton said. “The council has been upset since Collier was named chief.”

The other council complaints were alleged unfair promotions in the police department, personal use of police cars and K-9 dogs.

“The police chief drives home in the police car every night and the fire chief gets to stay overnight in Selma,” Councilman Sam Randolph said. “Police officers with disciplinary problems are getting promoted. There are two different police departments.”

Collier disagreed.

“There’s an ethic commission if you’re personnel, you’re entitled to drive your car because of possible emergency,” Collier said.

“Since my time as chief, I have made four promotions. Those promotions consist of three African-American officers and one white officer. I promoted the first African-American female to the rank of Captain.”

Council President Corey Bowie sent 10 questions to Melton about the K-9 dogs, including questions about their certification and training. The police department currently has five K-9 dogs, four dual purpose canines and one single purpose canine.

Collier said all K-9 dogs are certified and train regularly with the Montgomery Police Department and Montgomery Sheriff’s Office. They were purchased by private donations. Special Operations Cmdr. Michael Kiser emailed the Selma Times Journal Wednesday the number of arrests the department has made.

Since last October, the city police’s K-9 units have made a combined 123 felony drug arrests, eight felony apprehensions and assisted numerous times with other local, state and federal agencies. The narcotics unit has made 118 felony drug arrests. Of those arrests were 12 trafficking illegal drug cases. Over 25 federal gun cases were made by the narcotics and K-9 unit. Several sex offenders were brought to justice out of narcotics arrests.

“Our felony arrests are up to 100 percent,” Collier said. “The numbers can’t lie.”