Alabama sheriff arrested for hiring uncertified officers, including one accused of violence
Source: Associated Press
Alabama sheriff arrested for hiring uncertified officers, including one accused of violence
By SAFIYAH RIDDLE
Updated 6:45 PM EDT, June 9, 2025
The sheriff of an Alabama county mired in allegations of abuse was arrested on Monday for hiring officers without state training or certification, according to an indictment.
Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith, 41, was indicted on six misdemeanors in state court, accused of hiring one deputy, four armed school resource officers and one jailer who allegedly didn’t have state certification or training, according to court documents made public on Monday.
Both the deputy and some school resource officers were issued department patrol cars, badges and firearms, according to the indictment.
Smith has come under scrutiny in recent years for the death of Tony Mitchell, a 33-year-old mentally ill man who died of sepsis and hypothermia after being held in the local jail in 2023.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/walker-county-sheriff-indictment-alabama-certification-690f1eed57228c7598934e294bcf80ff