The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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This is probably my last article I will write for the Gazette. By the time this issue is published the election for Montgomery County Sheriff will be decided and I will be ending my 36 year career in law enforcement, 20 years at the Montgomery Police Department and 16 years as your Sheriff. I announced last summer that I was retiring and I was supporting Chief Deputy Derrick Cunningham as the next Sheriff of Montgomery County. I have known Derrick since he worked for me investigating violent...
I am often asked by citizens what my thoughts are about them purchasing a firearm for self protection. My answer to them is usually the same for everybody, they have to make that decision for themselves. I advise them that they have to know in their heart and mind that they will be able to use that weapon for what it was designed, to kill or injure another person. If they cannot, without a doubt, convince themselves that they will be able to pull the trigger if the time ever came, I do not...
Law Enforcement now generally needs a warrant to search an arrestee’s cell phone according to a new U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Over the years the Supreme Court has had a difficult time trying to fashion concrete rules on searches and seizures that law enforcement officers can clearly understand when it comes to what they can do and cannot do. This problem goes back about 100 years when the Court ruled in Weeks v. U.S. that the Fourth Amendment permits officers “to search the person of the acc...
A past issue of “SHERIFF” magazine had an article titled “Roots”, a historical perspective of the OFFICE OF SHERIFF. This article was one that gave a good perspective of the History of the Office of Sheriff. I would like to pass on parts of this article to you this month. The first of two important characteristics that distinguish the Office of Sheriff from other law enforcement units is its historical roots. In England, the sheriff came into existence around the 9th century. This makes the she...
The Alabama Gun act is now a year old and we continue to receive questions about it. I will reprint an article I did last July in an attempt to help the public with this law. The Alabama Gun Act of 2013, formally known as SB 286 and Act 2013-283, was signed into law by Governor Bentley on May 21, 2013. It came into effect on AUGUST 1, 2013. This bill was a compromise between the NRA, the legislature, Alabama Sheriff’s Association, the District Attorney’s Association and other law enf...
Prime Burglary season will soon be here again as the summer days approach. It is time to assess our homes and businesses to make sure that we are secure and we have a record of our belongings. It is also time to consider joining a Neighbor Watch program. Neighborhood watch, block watch, town watch, whatever the title, initiatives are one of the better ways to prevent crime, attend to home and personal security, address the safety of our children as well as reduce fear and isolation. Civic...
The Alabama Legislature has gone home for another year. The gunman for the NRA is gone and his latest bill that would allow anybody to carry a handgun in a vehicle without a permit died in committee in the house. I hope that we have heard the last from Senator Scott Beason. The gun laws remains the same as passed last year, you still need a permit to carry a handgun inside of your vehicle which, to me, is good for the public as well as law enforcement. I just don't understand why a law abiding...
Spring is upon us and so are the con artists. Recently we have received many calls about a few different types of cons. One set of these criminals call your house and will tell you several things to try and get you to send them money. They often identify themselves as a Sheriff, Deputy Sheriff or an investigator. There are many different versions but the main con is they tell you that you have a warrant for your arrest and you need to send them money before you are arrested. They know many...
Here he goes again. Senator Scott Beason of Gardendale, is trying to pass legislation that would allow anybody to carry a handgun in a car without a permit. We went through this last year with the new gun bill that was a compromise by law enforcement, the Legislature, and the NRA. I don’t think that he knows the impact that this legislation will have on the safety of the public as well as law enforcement. I know that the members of the Legislature receive a copy of the “ Gazette” and I plead...
This a partial repeat of an article that I wrote a year or so ago. People are fed up with crime and even though crime is reported to have dropped from last year, it is still there. Most law enforcement officials will tell you that the greatest percentage of the crime is committed by a very small percentage of criminals. They are repeat offenders who continue to commit crime, time after time. They get arrested, make bail and are out doing the same thing time and again. Their crimes finally catch...
7 is here and the Alabama Legislature will shortly be meeting to consider what bills will and will not pass. This is an election year so I really don't think that our representatives and senators will tackle too many controversial bills and I will bet that they will adjourn early enough this year to get home and begin to politic. I guess this is a good thing because they will not be considering more laws that are not needed but appear only because of special interest groups who can afford to...
The recent rash of burglaries in the Ramer and Pintlala area of the county has caused a great amount of concern for the citizens who live in those areas. A town hall type meeting was recently held in Ramer to try to put those concerns to rest. Rumors were rampant and were spreading quickly. Commissioner Reed Ingram and Chief Derrick Cunningham met with the folks recently and most of them were satisfied that we had the problem pretty much under control. It is like a few years ago when the rumors...
Our 3rd quarter newsletter has come out. It breaks down the crime in Montgomery County and lets you know what is happening in your area. If you would like a copy of the newsletter, email Lt. Clarence Brannon at ClarenceBrennon@mc-ala.org. We break down the county into 6 districts. You can see what is happening in your neighborhood by looking at the statistics provided in the newsletter. I will give you a breakdown for the whole county, not including the city. So far this year there have been...
I just got a copy of the sentencing guidelines that go into effect on October 1 of this year. The report says that these guidelines are voluntary, apparently until 2020 at which time it appears that they become mandatory. The Alabama sentencing Commission issued the report by the authority of Act 2012-473. The Act required the Commission to make necessary modifications to the Sentencing Standards to transition from voluntary sentencing to presumptive sentencing for non-violent offenses in 2013....