Allen Scraps Measure To Rename Street Honoring Fallen TPD Officer

Tuscaloosa AL

20 February, 2021

9:06 PM

Description

TUSCALOOSA, AL — State Sen. Gerald Allen, a Republican from Tuscaloosa, has issued both a public and in-person apology before stopping a joint resolution he filed earlier this month that would have renamed a street already honoring Tuscaloosa Police Department Investigator Dornell Cousette, who was shot and killed in the line of duty in 2019. Click here to subscribe to our daily email newsletters and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices for free. You can also support local journalism by donating as little as $5 a month to become a supporting member or by downloading our free Patch mobile app. A spokesperson for Allen confirmed to Patch on Saturday that the joint resolution, which would have renamed the the stretch of 35th Street running from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Greensboro Avenue, had been halted by Allen after passing the state Senate and moving on to the House of Representatives. Click here to read Senate Joint Resolution 21, along with a list of its Senate co-sponsors. "A mistake was recently made in renaming a portion of Investigator Dornell Cousette Street in relation to a resolution that I sponsored two weeks ago," Allen said on Facebook Friday. "As soon as I learned of the mistake, I contacted the appropriate individuals to make sure that the problem will be immediately fixed." Allen's response came following statewide media pressure from AL.com columnist Kyle Whitmire, which was shared in a show of support by the Tuscaloosa Police Department on Facebook. Had the joint resolution been signed into law prior to the street honoring Cousette would have been renamed Saban Way, after Nick and Terry Saban. In the resolution it also referenced that the rebranded Saban Way would also intersect with Trevor S. Phillips Avenue — another city street named for a TPD officer who was killed in the line of duty in 2012 during a funeral possession when a motorist attempted to make a U-turn as Phillips approached on his motorcycle, working as a funeral escort. ALSO READ: Fallen TPD Officer's Legacy Shines On Anniversary Of Death "I fully supported the effort to rename the street in honor of Officer Cousette," Allen also insisted, claiming a simple oversight caused the mistake. "Our police and veterans are heroes and their sacrifices should never be forgotten. Again, I am making sure that the mistake is quickly corrected. To my knowledge, no sign or marker honoring Officer Cousette was or will be removed." On Friday, the Tuscaloosa Police Department pointed out that the municipal measure to rename the street for Cousette had been approved Aug. 11 and there is no signage yet on that portion of 35th Street. While the city of Tuscaloosa has yet to erect signs for Cousette, his hometown of Aliceville in neighboring Pickens County dedicated a city street in his memory in October, evening mentioning his service to the Tuscaloosa Police Department. A sign marking Inv. Dornell Cousette Street in Aliceville that was dedicated in October 2020 (Photo by Ryan Phillips, Tuscaloosa Patch) A spokesperson for Allen told Patch that the senator met with Tuscaloosa Police Chief Brent Blankley and Assistant Chief Steve Rice, resulting in a productive conversation that also saw Allen apologize for his oversight. Blankley said in a statement that he and the entire department were concerned when they first heard of the measure, saying it is more than just a name to those in the department. A statement from TPD also confirmed Allen would withdraw the resolution. "We're glad to know that the road leading to TPD headquarters will continue to honor our fallen officer," Blankley said. Follow Patch here for updates or on Facebook and Twitter.