Prichard Domestic Violence Calls Top Sheriff’s Workload; Most Involve Strangulation, Burch Says

PRICHARD, Ala. — Prichard domestic violence calls now make up the largest share of the calls Mobile County sheriff’s deputies answer in the city, and most of them involve strangulation, Sheriff Paul Burch says. The sheriff said the new law enforcement agreement between the county and the city will let his office add an investigator dedicated to domestic violence cases.

Burch called the numbers alarming. “Just the calls in Prichard far outweigh the number of domestic-violence cases that we have countywide, which is alarming,” he said. “And I would say most of those domestic calls in Prichard were domestic strangulations.”

A Number the Sheriff Can’t Fully Explain

Burch said he does not know why domestic violence calls in Prichard are so high. He said it is possible that some incidents went unreported in the past, before deputies took over answering calls in the city.

Whatever the reason, he said, deputies take the calls seriously and connect victims with resources. The new domestic violence investigator position is meant to give those cases dedicated attention rather than leaving them to deputies juggling the full range of calls in the city.

Strangulation is a particularly serious warning sign in domestic violence cases. Experts who study intimate partner violence have found that a victim who has been strangled by a partner faces a much higher risk of later being killed by that partner. Strangulation can also cause serious injuries, including brain damage from lack of oxygen, that are not always visible right away.

What the $1.2 Million Contract Does

The domestic violence investigator is one piece of the one-year, $1.2 million contract under which the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement in Prichard. The Prichard City Council approved the agreement, and the Mobile County Commission gave its final approval on Oct. 8. The contract runs through September 2027.

Under the deal, deputies answer 911 calls in Prichard and handle major crimes, while the city’s remaining police officers handle ordinance enforcement, traffic issues and school crossings, according to Mayor Carletta Davis.

Burch said the contract also lets his office begin hiring deputies to support its work in Prichard. Day-to-day operations have not changed, he said, because deputies have been providing law enforcement in the city since June.

• Contract term: One year, through September 2027
• Contract amount: $1.2 million
• Hiring pace: Eight to 10 deputies per quarter, according to Burch
• New position: A domestic violence investigator
• Deputies in Prichard since: June 2026

Hiring Eight to 10 Deputies a Quarter

Burch said the Sheriff’s Office can hire eight to 10 deputies per quarter. Even at that pace, he said, rebuilding the Prichard Police Department within a single year is not realistic.

He pointed to the hurdles the city faces in recruiting and keeping officers: low pay, no retirement system and no insurance for officers. The goal, he said, is to help Prichard build a police department that can sustain itself while deputies keep the public safe in the meantime.

When the contract was approved, Burch described that goal this way: “Our goal is to help rebuild the Prichard Police Department in a manner that they’re self-sustained and provide the level of service to the citizens of Prichard that they deserve.”

The Cost So Far: About $1.5 Million

Burch put a figure on what his office has spent covering Prichard since June: about $1.5 million. That includes about $1.2 million in overtime, and he said most of the overtime was spent in the property room, where evidence is stored and catalogued.

The Prichard evidence room has drawn scrutiny in recent weeks. Photographs released by the Sheriff’s Office showing the room in disarray have been cited in court by a defense lawyer seeking to throw out DNA evidence in a rape case, arguing that the Prichard Police Department mishandled physical and forensic evidence.

The Sheriff’s Office expects to receive just under $500,000 in grant reimbursements and plans to apply for more grants, Burch said, though he cautioned that grants will not cover all of the costs.

Burch has previously said Prichard accounted for roughly a third of all the calls for service his office handles and described the arrangement before the contract as unsustainable. He has also said the $1.2 million the city is paying is significantly less than what he estimated the service would cost.

How Prichard Got Here

The Sheriff’s Office stepped in after Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood asked it in June to take over patrol and dispatch services in Prichard amid a corruption investigation that included a raid on the city’s police station by state and federal authorities. A special grand jury later recommended abolishing and rebuilding the department, with deputies providing law enforcement in the meantime.

Since June, five current or former Prichard officers have been arrested, including former Chief Walter Knight. All of them are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Davis has said the city is rebuilding, not dissolving, its police department. She has said all department employees will be placed on administrative leave in phases and re-evaluated, and that the search for a new police chief has drawn more than two dozen applicants.

“Get Out, Get Help”

Burch urged anyone experiencing domestic violence to reach out for help. “If the spouse or significant other puts their hands on you, they’re not going to stop,” he said. “Get out, get help, and we’ll be glad to help in any way we can.”

He pointed victims to Penelope House, the Mobile-based domestic violence shelter, which offers emergency shelter and other services for victims and their children. Advocates can help victims make a safety plan, seek a protection from abuse order through the courts and find housing and other support.

Where to Find Help

• Emergency: Call 911 if you are in immediate danger.
• Penelope House: Shelter, crisis support and advocacy for domestic violence victims in Mobile and surrounding counties.
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE), or text START to 88788. Free, confidential and available 24 hours a day.
• Mobile County Sheriff’s Office: Deputies answer calls for service in Prichard under the city-county agreement.

Anyone who has been choked or strangled by a partner should seek medical attention even if they feel fine, because some injuries may not show up right away.