SPLC Action Fund Endorses Pamela Laffitte for Mobile County Sheriff, Brett Jones in Madison County

MOBILE, Ala. — The SPLC Action Fund on Thursday endorsed Democratic sheriff candidates in two Alabama counties, backing Pamela Laffitte in Mobile County and Brett Jones in Madison County ahead of the Nov. 3 general election.

The SPLC Action Fund endorsements center on jail reform, reentry programs and accountability in sheriff’s offices. Both candidates face incumbent sheriffs. In Mobile County, Laffitte is challenging Sheriff Paul Burch, the Republican nominee, who is seeking a second term. In Madison County, Jones is running against incumbent Sheriff Kevin Turner.

The SPLC Action Fund is the political advocacy affiliate of the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Montgomery-based civil rights organization. Earlier this cycle it also endorsed Democratic U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures in the 2nd Congressional District race.

Laffitte: a former corrections sergeant running on reentry and diversion

Laffitte is a retired corrections sergeant with the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. Her campaign materials say she spent 26 years with the office, and she has also worked as a public safety dispatcher and served more than a decade in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

She is a member of Project H.O.P.E., an initiative that helps people returning to the community after incarceration. In her campaign, she has called for reducing unnecessary incarceration for low-level, nonviolent offenses by expanding diversion, treatment, mental health services and reentry programs. She has also pledged to hold private contractors to clear accountability standards and to use data to identify racial disparities in how laws are enforced.

Madison Hollon, senior program manager of political campaigns at the SPLC Action Fund, said Laffitte’s approach would put the focus on public safety rather than incarceration.

“Pamela Laffitte recognizes that taxpayer dollars should never create an incentive for incarceration,” Hollon said. “She is willing to confront the financial incentives behind overincarceration and address the racial inequities in our criminal legal system head-on. Her approach will give residents of Mobile County a sheriff who is accountable to the people and who keeps communities safe without feeding a system that can harm people who truly just need support.”

At a candidate forum earlier this year hosted by the Greater Mobile Chapter of The Links at Bishop State Community College, Laffitte said she supported expanded use of body cameras, beginning inside the Mobile County Metro Jail and funded through grants because of budget limits. She also called for annual crime statistics reports, deputies stationed in schools, and job opportunities and structured activities to steer young people away from crime.

A ballot fight over eligibility

Laffitte’s path to the November ballot was not smooth. The Mobile County Democratic Executive Committee moved over the summer to remove her as the party’s nominee, citing questions about whether she meets the requirements of a Mobile County-specific state law covering sheriff candidates. That law requires candidates who qualified on or after June 1, 2024, to have at least five years of prior service as a sworn law enforcement officer with arrest powers, in addition to residency, voter registration and other requirements.

Laffitte has argued that her years as a corrections officer meet the standard, noting that corrections officers carry handcuffs and can make arrests in certain situations, such as in courtrooms or when re-arresting escapees.

On Aug. 21, the Alabama Democratic Party’s appeals committee voted 4-1 to restore her nomination, and the county party then recognized her as its nominee. Mobile County Probate Judge Mark Erwin sought an opinion from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office on the eligibility question, but no opinion was issued before the Aug. 24 ballot certification deadline, and Erwin said he expected Laffitte to appear on the ballot based on the party’s certification.

Burch runs on his record

Burch won the Republican nomination in the May 19 primary, defeating former Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine. A Mobile native and U.S. Navy veteran, Burch has worked his way through the ranks of the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and previously led its Major Crimes Unit.

He has campaigned on his first-term record, pointing to efforts against violent crime, drug trafficking and gangs, as well as his office’s assumption of major crime investigations for the Prichard Police Department. He has said he wants school resource deputies in every public high school and middle school in the county and has highlighted the office’s work on Internet crimes against children.

“If it ain’t broke, why change it?” Burch said in an interview last year about his reelection bid. “We had no scandals to deal with and overall, I think the community seems to be happy.”

Burch did not attend the spring forum at which Laffitte and Prine discussed public safety, though he was invited.

Jones: independent reviews of jail deaths in Madison County

In Madison County, the SPLC Action Fund endorsed Jones, a former Navy SEAL and longtime county resident who has worked as a police officer in several jurisdictions in the county.

Jones’ campaign focuses on transparency and accountability. He has proposed an independent, public review of every death in custody at the county jail and higher training standards for deputies. He has also promoted the Miller Project, an initiative aimed at reducing repeat offenses through mental health evaluations, partnerships with recovery programs and support for people released from the Madison County Jail.

“Too often, our jails hold people who need treatment and support, not a cell,” Hollon said. “Brett Jones is committed to making Madison County a model for humane, accountable law enforcement. His plan to connect those leaving jail with mental health care, recovery programs and mentorship is the type of comprehensive support that should be provided for those who have made mistakes to prevent reentry and build safer communities.”

Jones has also been endorsed by the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, which says he would be the first openly gay sheriff in Alabama history.

Turner, the incumbent, was sworn in as Madison County sheriff in January 2019. In his reelection campaign, he has said he wants to keep adding staff each year to keep up with growth in Huntsville and Madison County, keep the office current with technology and maintain professionalism and transparency. He has said the office has built several specialized units and is close to being fully staffed.

Why sheriff races matter

In Alabama, sheriffs are elected in partisan races to four-year terms and serve as the chief law enforcement officers of their counties. Beyond patrolling unincorporated areas and investigating crimes, sheriffs run county jails, which hold people awaiting trial and those serving shorter sentences. That gives the office a central role in decisions about jail conditions, medical and mental health care for inmates, and programs for people leaving custody.

In Mobile County, the sheriff oversees the Mobile County Metro Jail, one of the larger jails in Alabama. Overcrowding at the jail has been a recurring issue in local public safety debates, including during this year’s sheriff’s race.

Advocacy groups across the political spectrum have increasingly weighed in on sheriff and district attorney races in recent years, recognizing that local law enforcement leaders shape how criminal laws are applied. Groups such as the SPLC Action Fund have backed candidates who favor diversion and reentry programs, while law enforcement associations and conservative organizations have generally supported candidates who emphasize enforcement and support for officers. The Southern Poverty Law Center has long drawn criticism from conservatives, who argue it is a partisan organization, while the group describes its work as fighting hate and advancing civil rights.

What voters need to know

• Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Voter registration deadline: Monday, Oct. 19.
• Absentee voting: Mailed absentee applications must be received by Oct. 27, and in-person applications are due Oct. 29. Mailed ballots must arrive by noon on Election Day.
• Photo ID: Alabama requires an approved photo ID to vote in person or absentee.

Voters can check their registration status and polling location at AlabamaVotes.gov or through their county board of registrars.