Decatur Councilman Billy Jackson on Monday said a Decatur police officer should be fired for presenting himself as working with a Human Resources team when seeking information about the incoming police chief, but Mayor Tab Bowling on Tuesday called Jackson a “rogue council member” who had his facts wrong.

At Monday’s City Council work session, Jackson said Fultondale Police Chief Marcel Walker told him in a Thursday phone call that a Decatur police officer called him on Wednesday to inquire about newly hired DPD Chief Torry Mack.

Mack doesn’t start until June 2, and Walker told Jackson that the officer said he was doing a background check.

According to Jackson, Walker said the Decatur officer began the phone call “‘by saying that he was part of our HR team, part of our hiring team,’ ” which was not the case.

“He was not honest when he said these things to the chief of Fultondale,” said Jackson, who would not identify the officer.

Walker did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Jackson said the officer told Walker he wanted the good and the bad about Mack, but Walker said, “‘He worked with him (Mack) for some time and there was no bad.’”

Walker called Mack an “‘alpha’” and “‘an easy person to get along with as long as you did what you’re supposed to do,’” Jackson said.

He said Walker’s wife, who also had worked with Mack, then talked to the officer during the phone call. She also only had good things to say about Mack, and Walker said this seemed to disappoint the officer, the councilman said.

Jackson said he called Human Resources Director Richelle Sandlin right after talking to Walker and asked, “‘What are we going to do about this?’ I was told that the day-to-day operation of our city ‘is not the business of the council.’ So, it was a way of saying it’s not my business.”

He said Sandlin told him that she would have a conversation with interim Police Chief Nadis Carlisle, and “something would go into that person’s personnel file,” and they would use this as a “teachable moment.”

Jackson said he disagrees with this course of action.

“This was a very egregious action on his part,” Jackson said. “He misrepresented their task and what role he was playing and saying he was part of the ‘hiring team.’”

Sandlin could not be reached for comment.

Jackson said he is “truly bothered” by the fact that the city would treat this merely as a “teachable moment” when recently Decatur Fire & Rescue Lt. Kevin Jackson was demoted two ranks for actions that he believes are less egregious than those of the DPD officer misrepresenting his role when calling about Mack.

“I don’t see this as a coachable moment,” Councilman Jackson said. “I see this as a fireable offense.”

In a press conference Tuesday morning — which he announced in a 5:55 a.m. email and held at 8:30 a.m. — Bowling accused Jackson of “creating another false narrative by saying one of our police officers misrepresented himself by doing the investigation, and that’s simply not the case.”

Bowling said the officer did call Walker, but did not represent himself as working for Human Resources.

“This officer said he didn’t do it,” Bowling said. “And I believe him. He is one of the most respected officers that wears the uniform in our department.

“Police officers are trained to investigate and look into matters. That’s exactly what he was doing.”

Bowling also would not name the officer involved.

Bowling said the issue was not about the Police Department, but about a “rogue council member.”

Bowling said in a text message after the press conference that it’s common industry practice for police departments to perform background investigations on new hires.

The mayor texted that the officer’s call was “personal” and not part of any official background check by DPD or HR. He also says the officer did not violate any city policies by making the call.

“Our officer was curious about his future leader and introduced himself as a member of the Decatur Police Department,” Bowling wrote. “He was not representing the HR Department in this case.”

Jackson said he had no comment about Bowling’s press conference.

“I am not going to get into a back and forth with the mayor,” Jackson said. “The truth will bear itself out.”

Councilman Kyle Pike said Jackson informed him of the officer’s call on Friday, and he is aware that other officers have been calling around and getting information about not only Mack but all of the candidates for chief.

Pike said he is concerned about the officer’s call to Walker, but he pointed out that the decision on who to hire as police chief is a council decision.

“We can take input from the public, a city employee, anybody we want to and get any information we can,” Pike said. “But it’s ultimately up to the council to make the hire.”

Pike said the council has “zero control” over anyone below director, and the mayor runs the daily operations and personnel matters of the city.

Council President Jacob Ladner said he wasn’t aware of the incident until Monday’s work session. He said he’s gotten great feedback on Mack from the community and a lot of police officers since Mack’s interview.

“There’s a lot of excitement about Capt. Mack, or Chief Mack when he comes in,” Ladner said. ”I’m certainly excited about him coming in, and that’s the feedback I’ve gotten from a lot of officers.

“I think people have to get on board and, if you don’t want to get on board, maybe this isn’t the right bus to be on.”

Carlisle said Tuesday afternoon that he would not comment at this time.

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