WALLS, Miss. — He was supposed to protect the people of Walls, Mississippi, but now, former Walls Police Chief Herb Brewer is accused of stealing from them.
Investigators said Brewer sold two cars seized by the Walls Police Department and pocketed the cash. It was a total of nearly $2,000.
They said he sold the cars to family members for nearly $3,000 less than what they were worth.
“I knew him for years, and he was always a good guy to me,” Walls resident Bruno Lauer said.
He said Brewer seemed to be a good cop, too.
“On Third Street up here one time, the power line was down in the middle of the road, and he sat there all day to make sure little kids didn’t come and touch it and get electrocuted, you know,” Lauer said.
His good reputation is one of the reasons why so many people are shocked by allegations of embezzlement.
“He’s the last one I thought I’d hear that about,” Lauer said.
Investigators said the issue was discovered by town employees who were checking the books after Brewer resigned for personal reasons last year. They found records of the car sales but couldn’t find the money.
We called Brewer to ask about the allegations, but he hung up on us. But he can’t avoid his embezzlement charge or state auditors, who ordered him to pay back the money.
“He’s supposed to be enforcing the law, but he’s breaking the law, so he deserves what he get,” Walls resident Joseph Varner said.
Brewer surrendered to the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday. He could face five years in prison and $5,000 in fines.
Fortunately, WREG learned the Town of Walls is insured against this kind of corruption. So even if the allegations are true, the city will get its tax dollars back no matter what.