PELL CITY - Things could heat up by the end of next week for drug users and dealers in the area. Two Chevrolet Tahoe's equipped with drug dogs and handlers should be working the streets next week. "We hope to be in business next week," Police Chief Greg Turley said. "All the thanks for this program go to the mayor and council." The mayor and council approved the purchase of the Tahoe's, which are slotted for drug interdiction efforts by the Police Department. [continues 378 words]
Law enforcement officers are used to facing danger on the job. But throw drugs into the equation and that danger grows exponentially. "I responded to a call about a shooting at a house," said Bill Kennedy, who was a patrolman for 12 years before becoming commander of the Talladega Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The call was to the home of a man who started shooting out all the windows of his house while his pregnant wife huddled in a room fearing for her life. [continues 538 words]
The Pell City Council and mayor agreed Monday night to buy a police dog from Odenville Police Department. Police Chief Greg Turley said the dog will primarily be used for sniffing out drugs but can also be used in searches for suspects and lost children and adults. Turley said "Brando" is not an attack dog, but Mayor Guin Robinson said that is only if you don't mess with his toy. At a demonstration last week, the mayor reached down to pet Brando, and the dog lunged at him. [continues 341 words]
The St. Clair County Sheriff's Department made one of its largest cocaine seizures in the department's history on Friday. "As far as I can remember, it's one of the largest seizures of pure cocaine we have ever made," St. Clair County Sheriff Terry Surles said. A big smile crossed the sheriff's face as he looked over at the four kilos of cocaine sitting on the hood of a county K-9 sports utility vehicle. "You see so many lives wasted because of this drug right here," Surles said, pointing to the red packages. [continues 535 words]
A routine traffic stop on Interstate 20 led to two men being charged Sunday with marijuana trafficking. "This is a by-product of increased patrols on I-20," Pell City Police Chief Mike Hale said. "There is a perception that there is something wrong with us being out there. We can be out there, and we should be out there. We know there is more than just this being transported along I-20. I'm going to continue to allow my officers to patrol the two-tenths of a mile of I-20 that's in our city limits." [continues 489 words]
