The town of Colbert, OK, hired 49-year-old Bart Alsbrook as an interim Police Chief and as controversial reports are emerging, they should consider firing him, if there is any truth in them. Though he may have earned the promotion from reserve officer to chief, the fact is, Alsbrook has been accused of white supremacist beliefs. In the face of Alsbrook saying he plans to resign, the city council plans to retain Alsbrook. City council spokesman Jerry Harwell told KFOR they researched Alsbrook's credentials and they will keep him. Harwell also stated that he admires Alsbrook.
The city council did not research Alsbrook nearly well enough it seems. According to a report by KXii - the inference is that he may have been active in neo-Nazism for years. When he was asked by KXII about Blood & Honour, NS88, and ISD Records websites, he presented a long-winded tale about skinheads and white nationalists having stolen his wallet at a concert in the 1990s. According to him, they have been using his identity for years.
Intended interim police chief has revisionist history
The truth is, Alsbrook appeared in two documentaries about neo-Nazis. He freely and openly shared his beliefs with director and writer Daniel Schweizer in “Skinhead Attitudes” (2002) and in “White Terror” (2005).
No one stole Alsbrook’s identity. He has pandered hate-filled neo-Nazi propaganda in the form of music, DVDs, books, clothing, flags, and other memorabilia. He obtained a position of authority and is set to receive the privilege of being a police chief – even if for a while.
Alsbrook’s beliefs and his conduct do not merit reward with a job promotion that puts him in the position to compromise the integrity of public service, the law, or what having a badge should encompass.
He is responsible and should be held accountable for his involvement in the neo-Nazi agenda.
After KXII broke the news that Alsbrook appeared to be responsible for websites selling skinhead and white nationalist media and memorabilia, he categorically lied. He was not being less than truthful or telling half-truths.
Alsbrook is a neo-Nazi, no mistaken identity
Brandie Williams, of Ohio, brought the issue of Alsbrook’s deception to the forefront on Facebook. She posted a link to “Skinhead Attitudes,” stating that he appears in the video at approximately the 1 hour, 2-minute mark. Sure enough, she was accurate. There is no mistaken identity.
Alsbrook was charged in Texas with attempted murder in Mesquite, TX, on September 15, 1995. The charge was dismissed nearly a year later, on September 9, 1996. He told KXII the case was dismissed because he was mistakenly identified by the victim. There is just something about his identity that others seem to latch onto.
What should not matter is whether Alsbrook resigns.
His words and his actions speak louder than he does. His NS88 video division is an offshoot of Combat 18. Both neo-Nazi. Calling it NS88 mutes the sound of hearing the words the name actually represents: National Socialism Heil Hitler.
In the “White Terror” documentary, he addresses his trips to Europe for Blood & Honour. Alsbrook likens himself to missionaries “who go to other countries to spread Christianity.” There is no comparison. If the city council in Colbert retains a racist, the Oklahoma attorney general or the U.S. Department of Justice needs to pull the plug on the plan and prevent the pending police chief from receiving a badge.
A neo-Nazi who has so blatantly lied has compromised his own integrity and should not be enabled to jeopardize possible cases that will inevitably route through the police department.
Alsbrook’s neo-Nazi beliefs are not a private matter. Colbert can surely find someone more suitable and more deserving to honor the role as the police chief. A respect for the truth, for all people the department serves, and the law would be a good start.
