Local NAACP president says he’s been suspended from position. Here’s what led to decision

There has been a change in leadership at the local chapter of the NAACP.

In a Facebook post Tuesday, Rodney Jones wrote he was suspended from the position for “refusing to cease and desist pursuing bad policing.”

Jones previously made allegations against Bradenton police and was arrested after going over the allotted speaking time during a city council meeting while explaining his concerns to councilmen.

Tarnisha Cliatt said she is now president of the organization’s Manatee County chapter. She is also the CEO of the Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce.

Cliatt, formally the first vice president of the NAACP chapter, confirmed that Jones was suspended from the position of president Monday in a written order from the national level of the organization.

She was moved into the presidency after Jones was suspended and is expected to serve out the more than a year that remains of Jones’ term.

However, because the process is still preliminary, she could not provide details as to why Jones was suspended.

“We want to continue with the spirit of the NAACP on a national level,” Cliatt said.

“I’m not sure of the exact circumstances of it they did send me a cease and desist letter,” Jones said in a Facebook live video posted just before 10 p.m. Tuesday. “What they wanted me to do was stop my pursuit of law enforcement and I said no.”

The Bradenton Herald attempted to speak with Jones on Wednesday, but a phone call went unanswered and a message box was full.

Jones said in the video he received a letter from the NAACP saying he “took a pledge as a member of the NAACP and (he) took a pledge to follow the rules of the NAACP.”

He asked the organization to be more specific in their allegations so he could appropriately respond within the 15 days the letter reportedly gave him.

“I’m going to continue the work that I have been doing. There is no need for me to stop, there is no reason for me to stop and I will not stop. So I will keep going. I just won’t do it under the moniker of the NAACP.”

The Black Lives Matter Alliance Sarasota-Manatee chapter posted to its Facebook page that it supports Jones, calling him a resilient leader who has done a good job at being involved in the community.

During the video, Jones continued to voice complaints about local law enforcement.

Jones was arrested during a Bradenton City Council meeting in May while voicing allegations of harassment by the Bradenton Police Department. He previously ran for a seat on Manatee County School Board and lost.

Jones has also weighed a lawsuit against the Bradenton Housing Authority.

This story was originally published June 26, 2019 at 2:31 PM.