Chief Paul Prine speaks: Rally in support of Mobile Police Chief
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MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)- Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine says the city is trying to paint him in a bad light following the decision to place Chief Prine on administrative leave Tuesday.
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His role is pending on a third-party review of the police departments policies, procedures and practices. Mayor Sandy Stimpson asked Former US Attorney Kenyen Brown to conduct the review following a pre-dawn raid in November that resulted in the death of 16-year-old Randall Adjessom.
“It’s about controlling a narrative to the community, in particular, I’ll say; the black community and I think it’s unfortunate,” Prine says.
Saturday, hundreds of Mobilians gathered in Municipal Park in support of Prine.
“He’s a strong leader and he has done a lot for the City of Mobile,” one supporter tells News 5.
“You have a Chief of Police that clearly the people respect and appreciate, then it comes into question why you are targeting the Chief of Police,” supporter, Sabrina Mass said.
Mayor Stimpson tells News 5 that Prine was not cooperative during the Kenyen Brown evaluation and that it was during this process, Stimpson said, that several people reported that Prine told officers “F— the public.”
“Yes, I do deny saying it I don’t know in any group setting or otherwise that I would say a thing that way,” Prine claims.
Stimpson said he offered Prine a generous severance package weeks prior to the final announcement of his administrative leave.
“My hope was he was going to make a decision that we could have a soft landing and wouldn’t have all this controversy. That’s not what he chose to do,” Stimpson said.
However, Prine says the offer felt more like a ultimatum.
“The only reason we are here is because I refuse to be threatened,” Prine said.
Prine gave News 5 a copy of the letter he received on March 27 from the city with the two options.
In that letter it reads this:
Option 1: Separation agreement
Allows him to retire with his reputation intact.
The nondisclosure/nondisparaging allows us to mitigate the public report Kenyen is preparing.
Negotiate payment to help with the transition as a consultant through 11/9/2025.
Paid leave to begin upon this agreement.
Insurance coverage.
Option 2: Removal from office
Relieved of command with pay pending council action
Kenyen will prepare an executive summary without a nondisparaging agreement.
Executive session with city council.
Press conference to release findings.
Public dissemination of the exectutive summary.
Resolution to council to remove him from office.
Vote of council is there.
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Stimpson tells News 5 that these options no longer exist.
Prine says he believes his time in the police department has come to an end.
“This department is not Chief Prine,” Prine said. “The Mobile Police Department has a tradition and a culture to continue to move forward but the power rests with them.”
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