PATROL DIVISION

The patrol division is the largest and most visible of the department’s five divisions. The patrol division is responsible for the following: first response to calls for service, field reporting, police patrol, traffic enforcement and accident investigation. The patrol division is comprised of three Captains, three Lieutenants, four Sergeants and twenty-two patrolmen. These uniformed officers work three shifts each day seven days a week providing general law enforcement services to the City of Muscle Shoals.

Lieutenant Mark Goins	Lieutenant Clint Reck	Lieutenant Tommy Skipworth

 

Sergeant Cedric Morris	Sergeant Governor Johnson	Sergeant Ricky Jones
	Sergeant Jerry Reid
Phillip Andrews	Eric Balentine	Jeremy Behel
	Stephanie Heatherly	Robbie Jackson
Bradley Johnson	Marcus Johnson	Danny McMillin
		Lee Nesbitt
Robert Newton	Greg Scoggins	Gerald Smith
Lee Smith	Stacy Sutton	Jonathan Terry
Kenneth Vess	Mike West

 

 

COMMUNICATIONS

Communication officers are certified through the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center and the National Academy of Emergency Dispatch.

The communication officer’s duties include operating computer aided dispatch system (CAD), operate emergency TDD for hearing-impaired caller. Answer phone lines, both emergency and routine calls; obtain information for and assign priorities to calls for service and refer to proper authority. Handle multiple duties at one time and prioritize duties according to the nature of the request. Monitor radio in-center and phone traffic simultaneously. Operate Law Enforcement communication consoles; monitor, dispatch, and maintain location and status on all in-service and on-call law enforcement.

Pat Gilley	Ashley Jones	Sheila Thompson

 

 

CORRECTIONS

Muscle Shoals Police Department Corrections Officers are certified through the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission.

Corrections Officers participate in the day-to-day operations of the jail. Officer participation involves, but is not limited to; booking and releasing offenders, maintaining security of the facility, escorting offenders within and /or outside the secure confines of the jail. In addition, Corrections Officers will supervise offender work crews, dispense medications, effectively manage volatile and violent offenders, operate a master control center and fulfill a number of clerical duties.

 

		Charles Sockwell

 

D.A.R.E.

D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) is a collaborative program in which local law enforcement and local schools join together to educate students about the personal and social consequences of substance abuse and violence. D.A.R.E. was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles. It has proven so successful that it is now being implemented in 75 percent of our nation's school districts and in more than 43 countries around the world. D.A.R.E. is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.

The mission is to equip kids with the tools that will enable them to avoid negative influences and instead, allow them to focus on their strengths and potential. And, that's exactly what D.A.R.E. is designed to do.

Additionally, it establishes positive relationships between students and law enforcement, teachers, parents, and other community leaders. Every youngster should have the opportunity to grow-up healthy, safe, secure, and equipped with the skills needed to succeed in life. Contemporary America, however, is rampant with challenges that could keep children from a positive life path.

Since 2003, D.A.R.E. America has engaged in a total organizational renewal. The new D.A.R.E. K-12 curricula focus upon the abuse of gateway drugs (tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and inhalants). The program offers a preventive strategy to enhance protective factors - especially bonding to family, school and community - which research has shown to foster development of resiliency in students who may be at risk for substance abuse or other problem behaviors. The program employs the use of the D.A.R.E. decision making model in which students are provided skills to use in developing and assessing choices they make in life. Students build skills to:

D - Define problems and challenges
A - Assess available choices
R - Respond by making a choice
E - Evaluate their decisions

The D.A.R.E. Instructor, using techniques of facilitation – gone are the days of the didactic lecture – guides students as they work in small cooperative learning groups using the D.A.R.E. decision making model to apply to real life situations.

	Stephanie Heatherly

 

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION

The criminal investigations division consists of one Captain, one Lieutenant and one Investigator. The objective of the Investigation Division is to identify the offenders, gather evidence, obtain warrants and present the case to the appropriate court. Assignments in criminal investigations include:

• Crimes against persons: Homicide, robbery, rape and assault.
• Crimes against property: Residential and business burglaries, auto theft, car break-ins and theft of property.
• Financial Crimes: Identity theft, forgery, fraud, felony shoplifting and fraudulent use or illegal possession of a credit card.
• Evidence collection:  Collection of evidence at crime scenes, collection and transporting drug evidence to the forensic lab, and responsible for maintaining the property evidence room.
• Interviews of witnesses and interrogations of suspects are conducted for the purpose of building criminal cases

In order to successfully investigate such a diverse array of cases each detective interacts with members of the patrol division, detectives from other agencies, drug task force, Alabama Department of Forensic Science and the Colbert County District Attorney’s Office on a daily basis.

Captain Lanny Coan	Lieutenant Sieg Muller	Detective Craig Rickman

 

 

K-9

The use of canines by the Muscle Shoals Police Department improves safety for patrol officers in dangerous situations such as the apprehension of criminals and searches of buildings or houses, and is an effective tool for narcotic and evidence recovery.

 K-9 officers support the Department’s patrol division as needed, using the canine’s unique skills as the situation requires. K-9 officers also conduct patrol/traffic activities within their daily schedule. K-9 officers are responsible for the care and maintenance of their K-9 partners, assigned equipment and vehicle, and participate in monthly training and certifications.

MARINE PATROL

In 2009 the Muscle Shoals Police Department formed the Marine Patrol unit with funds obtained through a grant provided by the Department of Homeland Security Buffer Zone program.

Marine Patrol responsibilities include patrolling an assigned area along the Tennessee River aboard a specialized patrol vessel enforcing applicable laws, investigating complaints and incidents while protecting Wilson Dam, lake front property, and the public.

MOTOR SCOUTS

Uniformed Motorcycle Officers provide the community with specialized police services. Motor Officers are able to patrol the City in a more personal manner.  The motorcycle allows the officers to get close to our citizens, businesses and shoppers. The Motor Officers are highly visible without the barrier of a police patrol car. 

The Motor Officer is also very responsive and able to maneuver in crowded or congested areas while responding to traffic accidents, traffic control measures, and enforcing traffic laws. The Motor Patrol provides additional security and police presence at special events and community gatherings.  

Motor Scouts utilize Harley Davidson Road King motorcycles.

SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER

In August 1999, the Muscle Shoals Police Department implemented the School Resource Officer Program. Our SRO's are sworn police officers who are also certified through the "National Association of School Resource Officers." These officers serve as liaisons between school administrators and various governmental agencies.
Our School Resources Officers:

1. Provide law enforcement and police services to the Muscle Shoals City School System, school grounds and areas adjacent to our schools.  Enforce state and local laws and ordinances. Make appropriate referrals to juvenile authorities and other governmental agencies.
2. Work to prevent juvenile delinquency through close contact and positive relationships with students.
3. Establish and maintain close partnerships with school administrators in order to provide a safe learning environment. Assist school faculty with efforts to enforce Muscle Shoals City Schools Board of Education policies and procedures. Assist school administrators in emergency crisis management planning.
4. Maintain visibility within the school community and attend various school functions and athletic events.
5. Work with school counselors to assist students and to provide services to students involved in situations where referrals to service agencies are necessary.
6. Increase accessibility of police to the school community.

Our School Resource Officers spend the majority of the day on the campus of their assigned school. They also make home visits and respond to off-campus but school related criminal activity.

Kenneth Vess	Gerald Smith
Muscle Shoals Middle School	Muscle Shoals High School

 

TACTICAL OPERATIONS TEAM

The mission of the Tactical Operations Team is to provide ready response to situations beyond the capabilities of normally equipped law enforcement personnel. Due to the nature of the missions, very dangerous conditions and unconventional hazards are commonplace for tactical law enforcement teams. However, the sole purpose of the Tactical Operations Team is to minimize risk through training, teamwork and preparedness.

The Tactical Operations Team is responsible for handling situations involving hostages, armed and barricaded suspects and suicidal subjects. The team also provides assistance to other divisions and agencies serving high risk search and arrest warrants.

Tactical team entry training combined with other tactical drills allows the tactical team members to practice and use the best tactical techniques to safely accomplish their mission objectives.

The team has 14 members made up of entry specialists, snipers, negotiators and paramedics.

 

 

POLICE TRAINING CENTER

The David Underwood Police Training Center is a 3 acre facility which houses a classroom, 50 yard 15 lane computerized pistol range with night firing capabilities, a 100 yard rifle range, 3 story rappel tower and a live fire tactical shoot house.

All firearms instruction and qualifications, officer survival courses, tactical training and major seminars are held at this facility. The training center is made available to outside law enforcement agencies upon request. Law enforcement officers may request the use of the training center by clicking here to contact the range master.