Jan. 26, 2011 — In response to a rash of crimes in recent months, officials are reorganizing a north Jefferson County police department.
The Fultondale Police Department is making changes in four key areas: Patrol, investigations, administration and the jail, according to Police Chief Byron Pigg.
The city will be filling some vacant positions, including two dispatchers and two patrol officers, as well as creating new positions, such as sergeant of detectives and a jail administrator sergeant.
“We’re trying to put more bodies out there on the street, with more eyes watching,” said Fultondale Mayor Jim Lowery. “We want officers to be in the neighborhoods as much as possible.”
He said the restructuring is partly because of an increase in home burglaries and car break-ins in north Jefferson County in the past few months.
“It’s not the kind of thing you want to talk a lot about, but when you have a problem you need to lay it out there and address the problem,” Lowery said.
One major change in the department will be with those who have boots on the ground: Patrol officers. Right now, officers patrol “at large,” according to Pigg, meaning cars have no specific assignment. “They’re roaming. That doesn’t put a car in a particular area.”
The department will divide Fultondale’s jurisdiction into three sectors, each of which will include business and residential neighborhoods. Pigg said assigning sectors will increase response times and police presence.
He said it will take three to four weeks to work out the new schedule.
“We’re taking input from the entire rank structure. The people who actually do the job will have input about what methods they will use to get the job done,” said Pigg. “We’re doing OK with what we have, but we’re looking toward the future. We’ve got to make some changes in our methods and policies, and this is a good time to do it.”
On Dec. 13, the Fultondale City Council agreed to spend more than $200,000 for six new patrol cars. Pigg expects the cars to arrive in March.
In addition, Lowery said the city’s senior watch program and the SkyWatch tower have both resulted in some arrests.