At least 16% of Kenyen Brown’s report on MPD remains redacted — here’s why

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Much of the report into the Mobile Police Department’s policies and procedures was redacted to protect the identity of officers involved in violent incidents.

The report was quick to call out Police Chief Paul Prine by name.

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Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson said he spent about five hours speaking with the police department’s command staff about the findings of Brown’s report.

That’s when, according to Stimpson, the staff requested that their names and interviews be taken out of the report.

“They apprised me of the fact that their interviews were very personal to them, and they had expressed things that were on their heart and so forth, but they were done with attorney-client privilege,” Stimpson said. “That was their understanding.”

Attorney-client privilege ensures that confidential communication between an attorney and their client is kept a secret.

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The release of Brown’s report was delayed after Stimpson requested Brown make the redactions to fulfill the officer’s wishes. Some of the redactions included officer names and Brown’s interviews with officers.

“There’s not a police department in the United States completely independent of an administration or a Public Safety Director that is in supervision over them,” Brown said. “It would appear to the outside investigative team the autocratic style of Chief Prine bucks against that notion. Those who are critical of him, he tends to attack.”

The report went on to air out Prine’s alleged comment, “F— the public.”

News 5 reached out to the city and asked if attorney-client privileges also apply to Prine. So far, the city has not responded to our request.

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Brown was paid $1,000 per hour to draft his report. Brown’s total pay was $37,389.17.

The report was expected to be released within 90 days of the city hiring Brown, but it took 162 days instead.

Interim Police Chief Randy Jackson said the department would look into each recommendation Brown’s report offered.

“We are currently in the process of forming two committees to help determine a pathway forward,” Jackson said in a statement.

Jackson went on to say an internal committee made up of MPD leadership and staff would look at the recommendations outlined in the report and create a plan of action, which would be reviewed by another committee made of civilians.

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