I can see the entrance sign now.

Welcome to Tupelo. Drop your pants and spread um.

Well that kinda fits doesn't it ?

All they had to do was post a "shirts required" sign and the guy would have never made it inside.

I think this is a little wake up call that not every citizen in Tupelo are planting flowers and riding the bike trails thinking of summers long ago, or reflecting the passages of a Robert Frost poem.

I can't go to the store in Tupelo without seeing at least one person completely insane or potentially dangerous. I don't blame the mayor for posting an officer outside city hall temporally until the police can come up with a permanent solution.

Well I see the original comments on this were eliminated and as I expected some stories changed a bit. Nothing major. The beginning messages were getting interesting though.

I just happen to know this guy. Always known as a good fellow. Would be out of character for him to threaten anyone. Something out of ordinary here.

I think his real problem was taking a bible not the gun, yet there is no current law I know of carrying a concealed bible.hehehehe

All jokes aside, I kinda think this may be an over reaction. I am told the guy was going around town that day and others were a bit confused as to how he was acting out of character. Thus I suspect the bond set accordingly. Possibly a medication issue and possibly upset over he and his brothers recent job loss I am told.

Maybe I'll apply for the door job if the pay is right. I do hate to see such measures taken over what a lot of us deal with frequently without the need for law enforcement. Heck, if someone really wants to get any of those folks I doubt it would stop inside that building. Of course I know of no one that would go to such extreme measures.

Just kinda makes me think of the Kremlin.

So the elected leadership of the City of Tupelo now finds it necessary to put armed police between themselves and their constituents. There are no courtrooms in City Hall, so how can this be justified?

With faith and courage such as this, how can Tupelo go wrong? Those about to be annexed in should get real exited about the service they will soon be shown by brave leaders such as these.

According to a buddy who went to city hall today, there was a code enforcement police officer at the door. [He recognized the officer from a previous incident in his neighborhood.] He said the officer was very friendly and didn't seem to be really checking people out or anything. He didn't have any special equipment and he waved my friend right through.

Wonder if the airspace above City Hall will now be a no fly zone?

according to Reed one of the officers duties will be "greeting"!!

LOL! Just noticed...this fellow is so dangerous that he is being held on a whopping $1400 bond.

What will this officer be doing at this entrance, I wonder? If there are no metal detectors, then I am assuming the officer will just have to guess if someone is homicidal. Is "profiling" now permissible in Mayor Reed's City Hall?

nutcase: You're right!

But the bow-tied superhero doesn't work at Tupelo High School!!

dirtyharry: I too, and I suspect many others, would like to know the current status of Robert Hall's law enforcement certificate.

Maybe one day we'll have a legitimate press in our area and those sorts of questions will be looked into and reported to the public.

Until that time, it seems we're own our own, huh?

oh and less was done when someone took a gun on campus at Tupelo High School!

"This will be considered a "s^&t detail" and they'll hate having to act as a security guard."

Could not have said it better myself! Like I said very degrading for a certified officer to be forced to be a door screener. Between the airport and city hall a shift of officers will be short two patrolman at certain times so they can be free security for the Reed Regime. I understand that Reed is the mayor and is the one in charge. However, he has no concept of law enforcement and should no be allowed to dictate things the department does. Granted TPD is not super busy all the time. But there are times during daytime hours when calls for service are stacked up and not enough officers to answer them. Just listen to the scanner on a pretty summer day. So now an officer will have to be worried about making it to city hall on time so the mayor does not go cyring to Tony and Robert. What's wrong with employing a security company to work the door? Has to be cheaper paying someone 10 to 12 dollars an hour as opposed to a certified officer. There are several of those type companies in Tupelo. Basically it's not the responsibilty of TPD to guard Mayor Reed and city hall. Someone posted something about Robert not being a certified officer. What ever happened with that? Sure has gotten quite. I know that had one month after his hire date to ask the state for it. That deadline has come and gone.

i dont think concerned even read what was posted...

concernedfortupelo: No one said anything bad about police officers. In fact, we're saying that this is bad for them and an underutilization of their abilities. They want to be out on the streets making a difference in the communities, not sitting on a stool screening the 10s of people who go in and out of City Hall every day.

This will be considered a "s^&t detail" and they'll hate having to act as a security guard.

But tupelojoe81 has the solution: Let Robert Hall guard the door.

Of course, he'd have to call a "real cop" if he needed to arrest anyone, but he could sit there and it not be taking a productive officer off of the streets.

well, they dont pay more! unless they live the more expensive homes in tupelo and pay more city taxes so that comment really just made you sound stupid.

i dont think anyone said one word against a police officer....i did say that City Hall is not any more important and need a full time guard (police officer) posted there than any other city department.

I hate to break everyones heart,the people here that talk about TAX PAYERS DOLLARS but guess who also pays taxes?????

Police Officers....

So why does your tax dollar allow you to be a smart a$$ and think your opinion matters.

They pay just as much as you if not more.

You see folks, this is what happens when Jack Jr. actually takes an action BEFORE commissioning a study or hiring a consultant!!

Tupelo's fearful, bow-tied superhero must be protected at all costs!! -- study or no study -- consultant's report or no consultant's report!!!

It's chaos, I tell you! CHAOS!!!

Judging by the gun/Bible element of this little ditty, maybe this guy wanted to *almost* be Charlton Heston?

WTFDude sums it up nicely, as usual. Nice start to the thread, TupeloJoe. As always, a good laugh!

The Journal has gone from having reporters that describe what is being worn by the inhabitants of the courtroom (during the annexation trial) to actually showing photos of what people are wearing. Hey, birthday suits = more subscribers.

Think about it.

nutcase: Jack Jr. is not at the Tupelo Water and Light offices, Silly!!

Don't you know, this is all about Jr.!!!

He's such an important public figure that he needs to be protected from his shirtless, gun toting, Bible thumping constituents who don't actually threaten anyone and then leave and run red lights!! It's mayhem at City Hall!!

Come on man, get with the program! This is Jack Jr.'s city and he must be protected!!!

dirtyharry: You're right. The officers that pull that duty are going to be pissed! And I don't blame them. That will wind up being the s^&t detail for sure.

Jack Jr. is just not "the sharpest knife in the drawer" is he?

Maybe he needs to loosen his bow tie! It's obviously cutting off the supply of oxygen to his brain! At least I HOPE that's the problem!!

Whistlin' the Mayberry RFD theme song as I close this post!!