Brownsville police make several arrests thanks to community support

January 13, 2017

BROWNSVILLE, Tenn. — After a string of crimes in Brownsville, city leaders are thanking community members for their tips that have led to arrests.

“If you do a crime in Brownsville, we will make sure you have an opportunity to do the time,” Brownsville Mayor William Rawls Jr. said.

Thanks to community help, Terry Hill Jr. is now behind bars in Haywood County after allegedly robbing the F&A Fuel Mart Sunday night.

“We’ve had people who call in with information that’s lead us to the arrest in these particular cases,” Mayor Rawls said. “We arrested eight suspects in one week.”

Hill was arrested Thursday by U.S. Marshals and charged with aggravated robbery, reckless endangerment and unlawful possession of a weapon during a violent felony.

“The community getting involved and giving us information, and at some point in time people get tired of all the crime and violence that’s going on,” Brownsville Assistant Chief of Police Kelvin Evans said. “And people are willing to work and pitch in and help us out.”

In a strange turn of events, Brownsville police arrested Jermaine Watkins after responding to a home invasion at his home.

“Witnesses and neighbors gave the officers information that the victim of that crime was actually the perpetrator of several other home burglaries,” Brownsville Police Chief Barry Diebold said.

The Brownsville Narcotics Unit also had their hands full this week, making the largest drug bust in department history at the Oakhaven Plaza Apartments.

Officers found three and a half ounces of crystal meth valued at $10,000, a pound and a half of marijuana that would sell for about $2,000 and thousands in cash. Police arrested Myrtle Outlaw, her son L.C. Outlaw and his wife, Wendy Outlaw.

“It makes us feel good as a police department that we could depend on our community to help us fight this crime, because we can’t do it by our self,” Evans said.

Brownsville police say even though they have offered a cash reward for tips through Crime Stoppers, they are pleased that the majority of tips are coming from community members who aren’t looking for a reward.