Officer Arnold Strickland, along with Officer James Crump and Dispatcher Leslie Mealer of the Fayette Police Dept. were shot dead in the police station on June 7th at 5:30 a.m. The officers had arrested suspect Darnell Moore, an 18 year old piece of trash, and were booking him when Moore grabbed Strickland’s gun and opened fired on the three men. He then stole a police cruiser and fled the scene. Law enforcement caught him in Mississippi. He’s back in Alabama on 3 charges of capital murder.
Arnold Strickland worked for the Demopolis Police Dept. from 1992 to 1995 as an officer. He’s been described by everyone that knew him as a great policeman and friend. Strickland also worked as a security guard at Bryan Whitfield Hospital. The love and prayers for Strickland and his family radiate from his former town.
After reading this story a few times, my mind keeps going back to former Demopolis Police Officer Sgt. Tony Gary, who was terminated from his job after being arrested and then convicted of assault on an unruly suspect with a flashlight. Our society is making it so police officers are afraid to physically restrain suspects for fear of lawsuits and bad press. If someone had cracked that spineless piece of **** Moore with a flashlight, three good men would still be with us, instead of one waste of humanity.,
Theo Ratliff continues to show hometown love.
I remember seeing him in high school, this impossibly tall guy as big around as a pencil lead. Then he went to college and became the 3rd all time blocked shots leader, behind Alonzo Mourning and some fella named Shaq. Then he’s drafted in the first round to the NBA by the Detroit Pistons, then went to the Philadelphia 76ers, where he’s good enough to make the All Star team. Later, he’s traded to the Atlanta Hawks in a deal that included Dikembe Mutumbo, considered then to be the best defensive player in the league. All through his career, Ratliff has come back home to Demopolis to visit family and hold his annual basketball camp. Though he isn’t shown “Rubin” love when he drives into town, he should be. You’ll be hard pressed to find a Demopolite more nationally known as Theo is today; or would you find one as nice.
A few years back, the City of Demopolis, lead by Mayor Caldwell, proclaimed a day “Andy Phillips Day”. Andy Phillips had just graduated from Alabama and was drafted by the New York Yankees to play in the minor leagues. In a ceremony held ad D.A., Mayor Caldwell gave Phillips a key to the city. At the time, Ratliff had already been an NBA All Star and was giving annual basketball camps here in Demopolis, yet no such honor had been bestowed upon him. It took a letter to the Times by our own Patrick Ellis (Statpat) pointing out the injustice for the Mayor to do similar for Ratliff what he had done for Phillips. I praise the Times today for giving Ratliff proper praises, and I wish the city would do a little more to show it’s appreciation as well.
On a side note: When looking at a minor league baseball card of Phillips, it lists Tuscaloosa as his hometown. When you look at an NBA card of Ratliff, it says Demopolis.,