Officers' foul language sparks investigation

RIDGELAND — Police officers who used foul language during a traffic stop of a Jackson man with drugs and guns are under an internal investigation.

Ridgeland Police officials are conducting the investigation into the traffic stop last month that resulted in the arrest of the Jackson man.

The man, Fredrick Gaddis, 39, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of a fire arm while in possession of a controlled substance, expired tag and no proof of insurance, according to Ridgeland Police Chief Brian Myers.

The man’s attorney obtained police body cam recordings and released edited versions on social media, officials said.

Myers said clips have been posted on podcasts and news broadcasts as well.

“I am very interested in transparency when something like this comes forth and I want the lens to be clear,” Myers said.  “If an officer makes a mistake or does something out of our policy he/she will be disciplined and educated on proper behavior, tactics or techniques.”

Myers said the footage was originally obtained by Gaddis’s attorney and was initially distributed by Gaddis on social media.

“There is much to be said about this situation and much more to this video that was edited and clipped by other parties,” Myers said.

The full footage has been released to local media including the Madison County Journal.

The incident happened on March 16 at about 10 a.m. when Ridgeland Police spotted a vehicle driven by Gaddis with an expired tag on County Line Road. Officers initiated a traffic stop on Pear Orchard Road near the AT&T store.

Officers immediately asked Gaddis to roll down his back driver’s side window for safety reasons because the window was so heavily tinted, Myers said. Gaddis refused the request multiple times and was asked to step out of the vehicle.

Though Gaddis stepped out of the vehicle, Myers said officers conducted a pat down for their own safety and found a pistol on Gaddis.

Myers said Gaddis continued to be uncooperative and was subsequently put in handcuffs.

Myers said a search of the vehicle found another a pistol and a misdemeanor amount of marijuana.

Myers said the whole incident lasted about 25 minutes.

He said Gaddis had a new car tag in his vehicle that he could have shown officers and could have been “on his way very quickly.”

Myers said no official complaints have been filed as of April 15. 

The police chief said the department has started an internal investigation into the incident and expects the involved officers to be disciplined. He said at a minimum the officers used “foul language” that did not meet the department’s standard for an officer’s conduct.

“It is important that our officers are professional and held to a standard,” Myers said. “We police our own.”

The officer’s names have not been released.