By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Tuesday, October 18, 2016, Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange (R) presented the 17th annual Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Summit in Montgomery.
AG Strange said, “I am grateful and proud of the bravery and unselfish dedication that law enforcement officers give to people of Alabama in their service to us each day. It is my hope that this summit will provide valuable instruction and shared information that law enforcement will take back to their communities and that it may be of assistance as they carry out their noble task of protecting the people of Alabama.”
Almost 900 law enforcement officers from throughout Alabama attended the summit and received practical information and professional training. The 2016 summit was held at Montgomery’s Frazer United Methodist Church.
AG Strange told the officers, “I can’t think of a tougher job across our country than serving on the front lines as a law enforcement officer. Too often people are quick to judge the professionalism and integrity of our dedicated public servants. My Law Enforcement Summit is a way for me and my staff to give back to these brave men and women, to give them an opportunity to know that they are appreciated and respected.”
This year’s conference featured a series of presentations from experts: “Responding to People with Special Needs,” by Dustin Chandler, president and co-founder of Interaction Advisory Group; “Law Enforcement Response to Officer-Involved Shootings,” by Captain Scott Bartle, Region G Commander of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation; “Recruiting for Today’s Law Enforcement Agency/Minority Recruiting,” by Chief A.C. Roper, chief of police of the Birmingham Police Department; and “Legislative Update,” by Chief Deputy Attorney General Alice Martin.
Attorney General Strange and Chief Deputy Martin also recognized the sacrifices of the officers who died protecting and serving the people of Alabama over the last year with a presentation of memorial flags and certificates of honor. These include:
Autauga County Deputy Sheriff Sergeant Troy Seamon of the Autauga County Sheriff’s Office, who died on April 4, 2016 from an apparent heart attack while on duty. He had served with the Autauga County Sheriff’s Office for nearly 18 years.
Corrections Officer Kenneth Bettis of the Alabama Department of Corrections died on September 16, 2016. He was stabbed by an inmate on September 1 and succumbed to his injuries a little over two weeks later at the University of South Alabama in Mobile. Bettis served as a corrections officer for the State of Alabama for a number of years, Officer Bettis was also a veteran who served a tour of duty in Iraq with the Alabama National Guard and received the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal and Southwest Asia Service Medal with Bronze Service Star. Betis is survived by a wife and three children.
AG Strange is serving his second term as Attorney General after a long and successful career as an attorney and lobbyist. Strange is considered by many to be an early frontrunner for the 2018 Republican nomination for Governor of Alabama. Strange is also thought to be a likely successor to US Senators Richard Shelby (R) and Jeff Sessions (R) if one of those Senators decide to retire. Strange lost the Lieutenant Governor’s race to former Governor Jim Folsom (D) in 2006 before running for Attorney General in 2010.
