Two Choctaw businessmen who contend officers overstepped their authority by conducting multiple bar checks in February filed a police harassment complaint.

Charlie’s Sports Bar and Grill owners Mike Potts and Ian Pugh complained to City Manager Robert Floyd and Mayor Randy Ross that newly hired Police Chief Conny Clay and seven officers made unnecessary stops inside the bar Feb. 12 and customers were irritated with the alleged harassment.

“They feel like the police were being too picky and were harassing them,” Floyd said. “From now on, we’re not going to do anything that appears like harassment. We don’t do that at Hillbillie’s (Hideaway) or Old Germany, so we won’t do that to Charlie’s or any other business.”

However, police will continue to investigate all reports and citizen complaints of underage drinking and public intoxication.

“If the police get a complaint, we’ll work it,” Floyd said.

Potts and Pugh also complained about officers who park across the street from the bar waiting for customers to leave. Some Charlie’s customers are upset that police target the bar patrons for traffic violations and possible drunken driving infractions when they leave.

“I view it as egregious,” Pugh said. “I understand officer safety and I support law enforcement, but I feel like this was a personal grudge. You can classify it as harassment.”

RULE FOLLOWERS

Despite the complaints, police did not break any rules or regulations during the Feb. 12 bar checks.

“From everything I’ve seen and heard from the tapes, the officers were not out of line,” Floyd said.

The bar checks resulted in four arrests: one for public intoxication and three for interfering with an officer’s official duties, Clay said.

On their first trip inside the bar, police were checking IDs to ensure there was no underage drinking. At about 11 p.m., the officers returned.

“They have a sign that says no one under 21 allowed after 11 p.m.,” Clay said. “We wanted to see if there was anyone under 21 in there at that time. My officers were very cordial and talked to the patrons. Nothing got out of hand except for the one guy arrested on public intoxication.”

Clay and his officers also conducted ID checks at Hillbillie’s Hideaway Feb. 12.

“We went into both establishments the same number of times,” he said. “Personally, I think (Potts) is making a mountain out of a molehill.”

Potts’ complaint to City Hall apparently won’t detour police from conducting the ID checks and patrolling for patrons who leave the bar intoxicated.

“We need to enforce the law and that’s what we intend to do,” he said.

The owners said they intend to build a new bar and grill on property east of their current location. The new facility would be almost twice the size of their current building, Potts said.