Prichard officials have days left to finalize a contract with the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office or risk losing the law enforcement coverage that has kept the city policed since June, Mayor Carletta Davis told the city council.
Davis said the sheriff’s office gave the city a two-week deadline, with a contract due by next Friday. If Prichard does not sign, the sheriff’s office will end its coverage of the city’s policing duties, leaving Prichard to rely on its own depleted police force.
How the Sheriff’s Office Ended Up Running Prichard’s Policing
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office stepped in to police Prichard in June following the arrest of former officer Emmanuel Dotch II on corruption charges. Since then, several other officers, including Prichard’s own police chief, have also been arrested, leaving the department severely short-staffed and under scrutiny.
In the months since, the sheriff’s office has covered the cost of the extra deputies and resources deployed to patrol the city, effectively absorbing the expense of keeping Prichard policed while local leaders worked to stabilize the department. That arrangement, Davis said, is coming to an end.
A Multimillion-Dollar Price Tag
Under the proposed agreement, the sheriff’s office estimates it would cost $4.7 million over 12 months to help rebuild the Prichard department, covering patrol vehicles, precinct operations and other critical resources.
Of that total, Davis said $2.2 million would go toward personnel costs, the portion the city itself would be responsible for paying. She acknowledged that money is not currently in Prichard’s budget, raising questions about how the city will cover the expense as the deadline approaches.
Mayor Urges Council to Partner With the Sheriff’s Office
Addressing the city council, Davis made the case for moving forward with an agreement rather than letting the sheriff’s office withdraw.
“The best recommendation I could make is for us to partner with the sheriff’s office, fill the gaps, you all have given authorization to hire on a national consultant that will do the search for a quality chief of police, and that we rebuild,” Davis said.
The council has already authorized hiring a national consultant to lead the search for a new police chief, part of a broader rebuilding effort following the corruption scandal that gutted the department’s leadership.
Prichard Officers Still on the Payroll
City officials said Prichard’s own police officers remain on the payroll and are serving in a backup role while the sheriff’s office handles primary law enforcement duties throughout the city.
With the deadline just days away, city leaders now face pressure to reach a deal or risk losing the extra law enforcement support that has been protecting Prichard residents since the summer.
Update: MCSO Confirms It Will End Patrol Services on Sept. 4
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday that it will officially discontinue municipal-level patrol and dispatch services to Prichard effective 6 p.m. on Friday, September 4, confirming what city leaders had feared for weeks.
The sheriff’s office took over law enforcement operations on June 16 at the direction of the Mobile County District Attorney, following an extensive investigation that led to the arrest of several Prichard police department officials, including Police Chief Walter Knight. A grand jury had recommended abolishing the police department entirely.
“For nearly 10 weeks, our deputies, dispatchers and staff have stepped in to ensure the citizens of Prichard continued to receive law enforcement services during an extremely difficult period,” Sheriff Paul Burch said. “We have done that because public safety demanded it, but this level of service cannot continue indefinitely without a contract, a defined timeline or a sustainable plan.”
Cost of Policing Prichard
Burch said the cost of providing coverage has been staggering. At the beginning of the takeover, the MCSO was spending roughly $18,000 a day to handle Prichard policing. That figure has since dropped to about $6,000 per day, with roughly a third of the MCSO’s total calls for service now coming from the city.
Mayor Carletta Davis told the city council that the initial contract proposal from the sheriff’s office totaled $4.7 million, which included purchasing cruisers and setting up precincts. Of that amount, approximately $2.2 million would cover annual personnel costs.
“Even a $2.2 million a year contract is out of our budget,” Davis said. “And especially if we’re talking about rebuilding, we can’t pay them $2.2 million and then rebuild at the same time.”
What Happens After Sept. 4
Beginning at 6 p.m. on September 4, the MCSO will no longer provide the municipal-level patrol and dispatch services it assumed in June. However, the sheriff’s office will continue to provide crime scene and major crimes assistance at the request of the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office.
Burch said the extension through Sept. 4 was made in good faith after Davis expressed hope that a contract could be finalized. “This extension is being made in good faith and out of concern for the citizens of Prichard,” Burch said. “It is not intended to pressure the Mayor or City Council as they determine the future of their police department. My responsibility, however, extends to all of Mobile County, and I cannot continue diverting deputies and resources from the rest of the County without knowing how long this arrangement will continue or how it will be funded.”
Massive Evidence Inventory Underway
The MCSO has also been conducting a labor-intensive process to inventory evidence and property held by the Prichard Police Department. Thus far, deputies have collected and logged more than 18,000 items, of which more than 3,400 lacked documentation connecting them to specific cases. Burch said he expects that process to wrap up within the next month or so.
Rebuilding Could Take Years
Burch expressed skepticism about the city’s timeline for rebuilding its own police department, saying it would likely take years rather than months. “Until they address pay, retirement, those kind of things, I think it’s going to be a long time before they can rebuild a functioning police department,” he said. “There’s not a lot of quality people who’s going to come work for what they pay, with no future in a retirement system.”
The ongoing corruption investigation could produce additional indictments, Burch added. Prichard is expected to continue employing its remaining police department personnel and appoint a new police chief while working toward a long-term solution.
Burch said he remains willing to participate in good-faith discussions with Prichard leaders and the Mobile County Commission regarding both the immediate transition and a long-term solution for law enforcement services in the city.
Update: MCSO Confirms It Will End Patrol Services on Sept. 4
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday that it will officially discontinue municipal-level patrol and dispatch services to Prichard effective 6 p.m. on Friday, September 4, confirming what city leaders had feared for weeks.
The sheriff’s office took over law enforcement operations on June 16 at the direction of the Mobile County District Attorney, following an extensive investigation that led to the arrest of several Prichard police department officials, including Police Chief Walter Knight. A grand jury had recommended abolishing the police department entirely.
“For nearly 10 weeks, our deputies, dispatchers and staff have stepped in to ensure the citizens of Prichard continued to receive law enforcement services during an extremely difficult period,” Sheriff Paul Burch said. “We have done that because public safety demanded it, but this level of service cannot continue indefinitely without a contract, a defined timeline or a sustainable plan.”
Cost of Policing Prichard
Burch said the cost of providing coverage has been staggering. At the beginning of the takeover, the MCSO was spending roughly $18,000 a day to handle Prichard policing. That figure has since dropped to about $6,000 per day, with roughly a third of the MCSO’s total calls for service now coming from the city.
Mayor Carletta Davis told the city council that the initial contract proposal from the sheriff’s office totaled $4.7 million, which included purchasing cruisers and setting up precincts. Of that amount, approximately $2.2 million would cover annual personnel costs.
“Even a $2.2 million a year contract is out of our budget,” Davis said. “And especially if we’re talking about rebuilding, we can’t pay them $2.2 million and then rebuild at the same time.”
What Happens After Sept. 4
Beginning at 6 p.m. on September 4, the MCSO will no longer provide the municipal-level patrol and dispatch services it assumed in June. However, the sheriff’s office will continue to provide crime scene and major crimes assistance at the request of the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office.
Burch said the extension through Sept. 4 was made in good faith after Davis expressed hope that a contract could be finalized. “This extension is being made in good faith and out of concern for the citizens of Prichard,” Burch said. “It is not intended to pressure the Mayor or City Council as they determine the future of their police department. My responsibility, however, extends to all of Mobile County, and I cannot continue diverting deputies and resources from the rest of the County without knowing how long this arrangement will continue or how it will be funded.”
Massive Evidence Inventory Underway
The MCSO has also been conducting a labor-intensive process to inventory evidence and property held by the Prichard Police Department. Thus far, deputies have collected and logged more than 18,000 items, of which more than 3,400 lacked documentation connecting them to specific cases. Burch said he expects that process to wrap up within the next month or so.
Rebuilding Could Take Years
Burch expressed skepticism about the city’s timeline for rebuilding its own police department, saying it would likely take years rather than months. “Until they address pay, retirement, those kind of things, I think it’s going to be a long time before they can rebuild a functioning police department,” he said. “There’s not a lot of quality people who’s going to come work for what they pay, with no future in a retirement system.”
The ongoing corruption investigation could produce additional indictments, Burch added. Prichard is expected to continue employing its remaining police department personnel and appoint a new police chief while working toward a long-term solution.
Burch said he remains willing to participate in good-faith discussions with Prichard leaders and the Mobile County Commission regarding both the immediate transition and a long-term solution for law enforcement services in the city.
