Political Quotes

“Jefferson County Sheriff Mel Bailey announced earlier this month that he will be retiring after a distinguished 33-year record as the county's chief law enforcement official. This means that for the first time since the early days of the Civil Rights Movement, Jefferson County will have a new sheriff. He is the dean of Alabama law enforcement officers. Mel Bailey has provided outstanding leadership, guidance, and service to the State of Alabama as Jefferson County's sheriff since 1963. Throughout his terms in office, he has made tremendous strides in preparing the sheriff's department for its fight against crime and in serving the citizens who elected him. In the process, he has become known as a symbol of law and order in Alabama. Since he has been in office, Mel Bailey has come to epitomize the office in the minds of many citizens. He joined the Birmingham Police Department in 1946 and was promoted to detective in 1953, resigning in 1962 to successfully campaign for sheriff. He didn't draw an opponent until 1978, when he still received 70 percent of the vote. When Sheriff Bailey began his tenure, there were 77 sheriff's department employees working within a $735,000 budget. Today, the department has about 600 workers and a $28 million budget. He began the Turn in a Pusher [T.I.P.] program, the United Narcotic Detail Operation Program, and developed one of the first SWAT teams in the United States.”