In larger cities, a city manager or mayor handles the day to day affairs of government. In Uplands Park, with a population of just 300, the village board members play a more active role. So it’s important to look at what the city was doing during the years that Henry Iwenofu was a trustee, and at times, chairman of the board. One of the most serious problems was the police department. According to a report in 2020, Uplands Park during the Iwenofu years had more than 30 officers – one for every 14 residents. Corners were cut, and there were consequences.
Unlicensed Officers
In 2009, an Uplands Park officer was involved in a chase that ended in a fatal crash, killing a mother of four. According to reports at the time, the police officer driving the car was unlicensed. He also had 18 arrests, including one for murder, in which he was not charged. Two officers were charged with not having a license, and their chief was charged with hiring unlicensed officers. The family of the woman who was killed was awarded a $3.1 million judgment in the wrongful death suit against Uplands Park.
The Attacks
Yes, attacks. Plural. It wasn’t just one rogue officer during the Iwenofu years. There were prosecutions and lawsuits far out of proportion for such a small community.
- In 2007, according to a federal lawsuit, a motorist was pulled over for a traffic violation, and taken to the Uplands Park police station. They had two closet sized holding cells in the basement of city hall, which is in a converted residence on Natural Bridge. The lawsuit seeks damages arising from the motorist being raped while she was held there, for which an unlicensed Uplands Park officer, Harlan Jackson, pleaded guilty in a 2008 criminal case.
- In 2011, Leon Pullen was sentenced to 25 years for sexually assaulting and robbing four escorts. He would find ads for paid escorts online, and lure them to Uplands Park. He would then arrest them, assault them, and rob them. Fox 2 has a detailed account from one of his victims.
- In 2013, Lamont Aikens was charged with assaulting and robbing a member of a rival motorcycle gang. Reports say Aikens and an accomplice kicked the victim until he was unconscious. Aikens had a lengthy arrest history prior to being hired by the Uplands Park police department.
The End
In 2012, the Uplands Park police department was dissolved. According to the story, this was directly connected to the ouster of Iwenofu as village chair. Iwenofu was a defender of the department, claiming that dissolving it was just retaliation for their investigation of missing money. According to the report, Iwenofu was seeking a court order preventing the city from dissolving the police department, claiming that the board meeting in which this was done was illegal. Eight months after showing up to find the department gone, the officer in the story had found a new position, with the Kinloch police department.
