The City Settles

The town of Brookside has agreed to a proposed $1.5 million settlement in a federal class action lawsuit alleging the town operated a policing-for-profit scheme that relied heavily on aggressive ticketing and vehicle towing. The settlement, submitted last week for court approval, would compensate affected drivers and impose long-term reforms on the town’s law enforcement and revenue practices.

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The lawsuit, brought by the Institute for Justice on behalf of thousands of motorists, challenges Brookside’s policing practices between March 1, 2018, and August 1, 2022.

Under the proposal, Institute for Justice said the $1 million would be allocated to individuals whose vehicles were towed by Brookside police, while $500,000 would go to people charged in the town’s municipal court during the same period.

The town has also agreed that the full compensation amount will go to class members, with plaintiffs’ attorneys not seeking legal fees.

In addition to financial compensation, the settlement outlines sweeping reforms intended to prevent a return to revenue-driven policing. Brookside would permanently eliminate its vehicle retrieval fee, withdraw police patrols from Interstate 22 for 10 years except in emergencies, and sharply limit the town’s ability to retain revenue generated through policing and code enforcement for the next 30 years.

The agreement also requires transparency measures and includes a formal acknowledgment that the town’s prior practices raised serious constitutional concerns and undermined public trust.

The proposed settlement follows years of scrutiny of Brookside’s police department, which previously saw a dramatic increase in revenue from fines, fees, and forfeitures. The controversy led to the resignation of former Police Chief Mike Jones and prompted Alabama lawmakers to pass legislation aimed at curbing excessive ticketing by small municipalities.

A federal judge in the Northern District of Alabama will now determine whether the settlement is fair and should receive preliminary approval, a step that would allow affected individuals to file claims or opt out of the agreement.