COLBERT COUNTY – OP-ED FROM SHERIFF FRANK WILLIAMSON
It has been an honor and a blessing for me to serve Colbert County as your Sheriff for two terms. I’ve worked hard to make many meaningful improvements within our department. I have had a great relationship with the County Commission and with each commissioner. Thank you for your service and your dedication to supplying the Sheriffs Office with much-needed support for this department. Together, we have made many positive changes to serve our Community more efficiently and to provide better law enforcement coverage for Colbert County.
Since I took office, we have started supplying our deputies with the best equipment that has ever been provided. Over the past year we have modernized uniforms which has made a big difference to public opinion and has greatly improved the team spirit of our officers. We have gotten the deputies raises and have brought their pay up to competitive levels with other departments. And, no, they still do not make enough money, but it is far from where it was when I took office. We also got starting pay increased so that we can attract and retain deputies. We want to be more than just a training ground for other departments.
Another thing that we implemented is the use of body cameras. Body cameras protect Citizens as well as the County and Deputies. Body cams keep everyone honest. We installed G.P.S. units in every car to provide the Deputies with peace of mind in knowing that we know their location in case they have an emergency themselves.
Thanks to the County Commission, we have better cars than ever before due to the pistol permit money and the budget they have given me every year. The Commission also purchased with some of the Covid-19 emergency money new laptops for the deputies. The Commission also approved premium pay for the employees of Colbert County due to inflation that Covid-19 has caused.
We have increased the number of Deputies and Jail Staff since I took office in 2015. We have increased training in this area.
We have added Staff after the executive decision was made to move security to the front door of the Courthouse.
We have built a classroom at the shooting range and are in the process of upgrading some equipment there to enhance the training of our School Resource Officers and Deputies guarding our children at our schools. We are working with the Colbert County School System to get every school covered and all our School Resource Officers equipped with the latest equipment for our children’s protection, such as, safe rooms in the classroom where our children can hide in case of an active shooter, there are grants for that which is being applied for. We are working closely with Colbert County Board of Education to have the safest schools in Alabama.
As for illegal drugs in our county, this Administration has done more to fight the drug war than ever before. I am supplying two officers that are assigned strictly to the Drug Task Force. Now, I know that is not enough, with budget constraints controlling every facet of our lives, but I am constantly working on obtaining more resources. I have authorized to replace two drug dogs that we have had to recently retire. We will be putting them in the next budget as well.
We have added a Transport Officer to take the transports that are required of the Sheriff’s Office by law.
We have added a boat and a dive team, qualified for underwater investigation and recovery. The dive team has been trained by the military, so they are some of the best in our region.
We have gotten over $600,000 from the 1033 program at this point saving our Citizens thousands in equipment to use as we see fit.
We are in the infant stages of starting a new drone program to better serve our Citizens. We now have a certified drone operator and are working on a grant to upgrade our drone fleet.
We have started “active-shooter” classes in our churches and civic organizations to have a safe place to go to church and to civil meetings.
We are in the planning stages of a Citizens Academy.
We have started giving gun classes to citizens to give them a place to learn to shoot.
We are working on a budget that, after checking the numbers, is only $450,000 more than the year 2008. With all the changes that we have done and the programs we have added, this is astounding! So we have come in under budget every year except this year. Due to high fuel prices, it seemed impossible but yet we may still come in under budget over all!
We have made strides in working with local departments to better serve all of our citizens.
We have built a better, more efficient, and knowledgeable Reserve Program than ever before.
New jail software to keep inmates’ information in order and digitize the whole process.
Implemented the most up to date sex offender registry with digitizing the process.
Went to 12-hour shifts, giving the deputies more time off to spend with their families every other weekend.
Started recognizing citizens and employees for the good deeds that are done.
Purchased new body armor for the deputies utilizing grant money saving our Citizens thousands of dollars.
Purchased new patrol rifles for all the Deputies.
All-in-all I believe that we have made great strides in modernizing the Colbert County Sheriff’s Department. I am proud of the work that we’ve done… And the best is yet to come for the Citizens of our Community.
Media Release/Re-Elect Frank Williamson Colbert County Sheriff
