Officer(s) Involved: Police Officer Joseph Atkinson.
Synopsis: On 19 September 2024, Selma Police Department (SPD) pulled over local mechanic Matthew Sanders, who recorded the interaction on his personal phone. That led to a combative encounter that led to Sanders filing a complaint against SPD, alleging that police turned off his phone and deleted the video.
Selma Mayor Byron McAllister defended that encounter, saying it didn’t violate any departmental policies and that the stop was legitimate. He said SPD leadership felt that Atkinson’s actions didn’t meet the town’s high standard for the department.
In the video, police asked Sanders to leave his car more than a dozen times, claiming they smelled marijuana. After the traffic stop, Sanders was charged with driving with an expired registration, possession of marijuana, and resisting an officer—charges he denies.
Sanders said he supports the town’s decision to let Atkinson go. “The outcome, I’m satisfied with it because I believe it can save some other citizens from having to deal with what I dealt with,” Sanders said.
Sanders said that he hopes police will introduce body-worn cameras to assist with future encounters— technology that is actually on the way in Selma. Recent funding has been allocated for body and vehicle cameras, with a rollout date still yet to be determined.
Outcome: SPD said officer Joseph Atkinson was terminated by the department on 21 October 2024, following an internal investigation of the incident.
