Ft. Campbell: ‘Administrative Oversight’ Led To Iraq Veteran’s Arrest
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Ft. Campbell: 'Administrative Oversight' Led To...
Police pulled Douglas
Contributed: Washington County Jail
Douglas Cody Jennings
Johnson City, Tenn.—An Iraq war veteran, and Elizabethton resident, said the Johnson City Police Department tarnished his reputation.
Police pulled Douglas “Cody” Jennings over on East Main Street Friday night, for driving 60 mph in a 30 mph zone.
When the arresting officers punched his information into their PDA’s (personal digital assistants), they noticed a red flag from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). He was wanted by the United States Army out of Ft. Campbell Ky.
“Once we get a hit like that, we have to call the center at 911, confirm that information, and verify that it’s still active,“ Capt. J.D. Toth said. “They were told that it was still active.“
Police booked Jennings in the Washington County Jail Friday night. He wasn’t released until Saturday afternoon. What happened in between is a point of dispute between the decorated veteran, and the department that locked him up.
“I had the documentation and stuff that I needed to prove that [I had been honorably discharged],“ Jennings said. “[The arresting officers] didn’t want to see it,“ he said.
“The officers were working within our standard operating procedure and they incarcerated him because they did get the hit on him for desertion,“ Toth said.
At 5:17 a.m., Johnson City Police issued the following press release:
“On October 16, 2009, officers of the Johnson City Police Department arrested Douglas C. Jennings, 23 yoa, of 406 Stuart Dr., Elizabethton, TN, after he was pulled over for a minor traffic violation. An NCIC check of Mr. Jennings revealed that he was wanted by the United States Army out of Ft. Campbell, KY for being a military deserter. Mr. Jennings was charged with being a Fugitive from Justice and was transported to the Washington County Detention Center. Mr. Jennings is being held in lieu of a $10,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Washington County General Sessions court on 10/26/09.“
Local news organizations ran with that information, and Jennings was labeled ‘a military deserter.‘
Jennings said a Lieutenant Colonel from Ft. Campbell called Washington County Jail on his behalf around midnight that night, told jailers about the error, and requested his release.
Toth could not recall what time Ft. Campbell officials confirmed the error, but the arresting officers told him it was after they issued the press release.
Once that happened, Johnson City Police needed a judge’s order to dismiss the warrant, Toth said.
“[The Lieutenant Colonel] cannot dismiss the warrant. We have to go before a judge, and that’s what I understand he was told,“ Toth said.
On Monday, Ft. Campbell released the following statement to 11 Connects Reporter George Jackson:
“There had previously been a warrant issued for Mr. Jennings. When he returned to duty that warrant should have been dropped. But, there was an administrative oversight, and it wasn’t. Ft. Campbell officials, once they were notified, took immediate action to remedy the situation.“
Ft. Campbell Spokesman Robert Jenkins clarified some of the wording in the above statement, and offered background on the ‘administrative oversight’ during a telephone interview Monday.
“[This summer, Jennings] got halfway through the out-processing process and left [Ft. Campbell],“ Jenkins said. “That’s why there was a hit in the [NCIC] system,“ he said.
Jennings decided to out-process after he was picked up by homeland security during a trip to the Caribbean this August. The NCIC hit was legitimate at that time, Jenkins said.
“He used his release papers from the military to clear himself with homeland security, came back to Ft. Campbell, and finished processing,“ Jenkins said.
The paperwork was passed on to the military, “but not to the folks who take him out of the NCIC system,“ Jenkins said.
Jenkins couldn’t confirm, or deny, that a Lieutenant Colonel called Washington County jail Friday night, but did take issue with the term ‘military deserter’ used on the press release.
“If the term ‘deserter’ was alleged, that was not the army’s doing. He was listed as ‘away without official leave’ (AWOL),“ Jenkins said.
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Reader Reactions
I must have missed something. What does smoking pot and running red lights have to do with getting arrested for being AWOL from the military? Seriously people!! Law Enformcement so easy a cave man can do it.
Lets all go have a beer and burn one.
Dear NO IRS,
I can see your point about the red light cameras. I agree that they generate revenue and that they make people feel uncomfortable because of the “big brother” effect that they project. Point well taken, although I still think that they could do some good. Also, thank you for the apology about the police arresting the vet. I can understand how emotions could get in the way of clear thinking. Its good to be passionate about things you believe in.
Lindsey, The point is, There has been more Negative Attention than Positive Attention concerning ‘'Red-Light Cameras’‘ so therefore they should be Banned. It is about ‘’ The People’‘ right?? I don’t know about Marijuana but I bet poles would show more in favor of legalisation, That is if they were properly Informed.
We don’t know the reason for his departure in the first place.
If he just walked out in the middle of out- processing without concluding it—then he was AWOL. Everyone in the military knows what AWOL is and means. Once reported AWOL there is a federal warrant issued automatically.
I wonder, did he leave because he had a Caribbean trip planned, didn’t want to miss it, so he just left?
I think this is the crux of the entire issue.
BTW- you’re right. If the wearrant exists, the cop must arrest him. Period.
We’d all be up in arms if there were a warrant issued, the cop ignored it and he traveled down the road and committed a crime, wouldn’t we??
Law enforcement absolutely has the right to protect themselves in and around any criminal element. I respectfully submit you are missing the key point. It is the prohibition of Marijuana that produces the criminal element. It is called the “Black Market”
There is no difference between the crime and violence produced from Marijuana prohibition and the crime and violence produced from alcohol prohibition that was a failure in the 1920’s.
Armed Mexican gangs are smuggling Marijuana over our border and growing billions with a B worth of Marijuana in our National Forests. It has been estimated that Marijuana not corn or wheat or beans is the largest cash crop in Tennessee.
Why are we placing law enforcement and the community in danger over a plant? Why not tax and regulate it like alcohol? There is a ballot measure in 2010 in California to legalize Marijuana and the latest polls show it will pass. Imagine police in military gear chopping down pot plants in Tennessee while people in California buy it legal. How stupid is that??
I submit old money and old empires are complicit in keeping Marijuana illegal and it is a cash cow for law enforcement and the courts. We know it and it is wrong and will be stopped. It is just a matter of time. Our own President recently said the 14 states that approved medical MArijuana will be left alone by the Feds. It is becoming more and more ridiculous by the day using law enforcement to chop down pot plants.
If I was a cop I would sigh in disgust if they told me to deal with any citizen as it relates to Marijuana unless they were driving up and down the road stoned or endangering the public or selling it to kids.
Here are a few links to prove that a majority of citizens in most states approve of legal and taxed Marijuana and to regulate it like alcohol. The overall Unites States is slightly less than a majority but if you remove the over 55 demographic who were brainwashed by Government propaganda and the reefer madness nonsense legalization has a solid majority.
http://stash.norml.org/zogby-poll-nearly-6-in-10-on-west-coast-favor-marijuana-legalization
http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6838
We will agree to disagree on red light cameras. Statistics prove they actually increase accidents and we all know it is a stealth way to produce revenue for the municipalities. The huge question is where does it stop?? It has a Orwellian and big brother feel to it that makes me uncomfortable. I just don’t like it.
Lastly I apologize for jumping all over the local police regarding the issue about the vet being arrested. I was wrong. After speaking with a few people I know that know cops it was a glitch from the Army and the local police were not at fault. Being a honorably discharged vet myself it just made be boiling angry but my emotions jumped out before I got all the facts. I am sorry if I offended anyone.
Does anyone know WHY he left Ft Campbell before completing his out-processing in the first place?
Dear NO IRS,
Thank you for your quick response to my opinions. I have a few questions and thoughts for you though.
First, you mentioned something about how law enforcement was stupidly chopping down pot plants. Well, would you want to run into a situation with no protection or weapons when you wern’t sure what to expect? I bet you would want your wife or significant other to take all the necessary precautions if she was the one running into that DRUG DEALER’S house.
Secondly, You mentioned that the majority of citizens think that marajuana should be legalisied. Where did you get this statistic? You gave no credit to where you found the information.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure your grandfather was an upstanding police officer but you quoted that he was,“a real career cop.“ Are you saying that the others who ran into that house were not real career cops?
One last point. Red light cameras seem like a hassle to you right now, but if you were ever hit by someone who ran a redlight then I’m sure you can agree you would want that evidence for insurance purposes. When you sign up for a driver’s license, you are agreeing to adhere to all the traffic laws. So, if thats not something people are willing to do then I would rather them not be on the road anyway.
Linsdey Stanley
I want to clarify that in no way are my comments meant to disparage the good things law enforcement do for the community. My Grandfather was assistant chief of Police in a medium size Georgia town and my uncle was a Georgia State Trooper and then a Sheriff.
With that said law enforcement has Devolved over the years from a public safety force to protect the community into a long arm goon squad of the courts and old money meant to enforce a revenue stream and to protect old money empires.
How many times do you see news stories of cops in battle gear dragging a child molester or a armed robber(The REAL criminals) from their hide out compared to the constant stupidity of using law enforcement for chopping down a POT PLANT??
The majority of citizens think Marijuana should be legal(It will be in California next year) and feel it is a WASTE of resources dealing with something we all know should be legal.
It is the illegality of the plant that produces the criminal element no different than the utter failure that alcohol prohibition was in the 1920’s that produced AL Capone and gangs.
The majority of us(Those not brainwashed by Government propaganda) know Pot is only illegal so to protect old money and old empires plus we all know that the courts and law enforcement uses Marijuana laws as a cash cow to expand their empires.
The public is rapidly losing respect for law enforcement and the courts because the glaring hypocrisy of our antiquated Marijuana prohibition laws are becoming a joke to most citizens.
In addition our freedoms are being taken away in the name of money and old
laws that should be changed NOW.
I respect what cops do I grew up around law enforcement but one of the last things my Grandfather told me before he died was how stupid things had become in America and how police were misused for protection of old money revenue streams rather than protecting the citizens and public from real criminals.
That was from the mouth of a real
career cop.
Red light cameras and Marijuana raids are just stupid and wrong.
Please read this link in detail and maybe you will learn just how stupid, antiquated and hypocritical our outdated Marijuana laws really are.
http://www.drugwarrant.com/articles/why-is-marijuana-illegal/
God Bless the Police who are risking their lives to protect us from real criminals. For the ones who are participating in protecting old money and building empires and stealing our money and freedoms I hope you rot in He!!
ALLEN M JOHNSON
Johnson City TN
I have read some of the comments and noticed that anyone who had anything negative to say about JCPD didn’t bother to sign their posting. This tells me that they obviously do not stand behind what they are writing because they do not want their name associated with their words. As a girlfriend of a police officer, I say unless you know how hard their job is ESPECIALLY with the little compensation they receive, maybe you should check into it before you post some of the nasty things you say. It was a mistake, but then again I’m sure none of you have ever made a mistake at your place of employment.
LINDSEY STANLEY
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