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.