Baldwin County Sheriff Huey “Hoss” Mack began a third consecutive four-year term in office in a brief swearing-in ceremony held before the Baldwin County Commission’s regular meeting in mid-January 2015. Probate Judge Tim Russell administered the oath of office to Mack in front of commissioners and county staff.
Addressing the commission after taking the oath, Mack thanked county leaders for their continued support, calling it an honor to serve alongside them. The ceremony marked the formal start of his new term, which runs through the end of the decade under Alabama’s standard four-year cycle for county sheriffs.
Mack’s path back to office was largely uncontested in the general election, where he ran without opposition in November 2014. His route to that point was tougher earlier in the year, when he faced two Republican challengers in the June primary. Mack won that primary decisively, capturing roughly two-thirds of the vote against a former chief deputy and an investigator from the Baldwin County District Attorney’s Office. As sheriff, Mack earns an annual salary of $95,000, overseeing law enforcement, jail operations and civil process duties across Baldwin County.
Beyond the oath-taking, the January meeting doubled as an opportunity for Mack to publicly recognize members of his department for their work over the previous year. Days earlier, at an annual awards banquet, the sheriff’s office honored several employees across different divisions for outstanding service. Purchasing officer Wanda Gautney received the department’s Supporting the Star Award, given to a non-sworn employee whose work directly benefits deputies and staff. Mack praised Gautney for working closely with county commissioners and consistently supporting the sheriff’s office’s mission.
Additional employees recognized with year-end honors included a corporal earning the Corrections Center Command Service Award, a deputy honored for civil affairs command service, and others named Investigator of the Year, Drug Task Force Officer of the Year and Uniform Services Deputy of the Year. The department also handed out a Top Gun award, a Shining Star recognition and separate Employee of the Year honors for corrections and administrative support roles, along with a law enforcement Employee of the Year distinction.
The dual milestones, a new term in office and a round of internal recognition, reflected a routine but important moment for one of South Alabama’s larger county law enforcement agencies as it began a new four-year chapter under continued leadership. Baldwin County has seen steady population growth along its Gulf Coast communities, placing ongoing demands on the sheriff’s office for patrol coverage, jail capacity and investigative resources that will likely shape priorities throughout Mack’s new term.