(Lillian, Alabama)

A Lillian man identified as David Dill had search and rescuers out for hours in the area of the KOA campground looking for him on Monday.  Dill, 33 had apparently left a note just after 1:00 a.m. stating he was going for a swim.  Upon finding the note hours later, his wife called in authorities.

It was found that David Dill caught a ride to the Foley Wal-Mart at around 6:30am on April 30, 2012.  Mr. Dill bought several items and then left the store. Mr. Dill told the couple that gave him a ride that he was going to backpack to California.

(Baldwin County)

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office is proud to announce the winners of the Red Ribbon Week Essay Contest. Students in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade of all Baldwin County Public Schools were invited to participate. The essay’s topic was to be “How and why I live a drug free life”. Third place winners won an iPod. Second place winners won a Portable LCD DVD Player. And, first place winners won a Bicycle. The prizes were donated by Wal-Mart (Fairhope), CVS (Robertsdale), and Target (Daphne).

First place winners were, Wesley Lockhart, 4th grade Bay Minette Intermediate School; Hunter Englett, 5th grade Rosinton Elementary School; and Daizee Finley, 6th grade Silverhill Elementary.

Second Place winners were, Skyilar Mitchell, 4th grade Daphne Elementary East; Jacob Wieland, 5th grade Magnolia School; and Alysha Smith, 6th grade Robertsdale Elementary.

Third Place winners were, Taylor Smith, 4th grade Daphne Elementary East; Ana Favela, 5th grade Robertsdale Elementary; and C.J. Williams, 6th grade Robertsdale Elementary. Congratulations to all winners!

A special ceremony was held on February 10th, at the Baldwin County Central Annex in Robertsdale, to celebrate the winners of the essay contest, as well as, honor the Baldwin County Board of Education and individual schools and students who participated in the Pennies for Puppy Campaign.
The Pennies for Puppy Campaign was held in the fall of 2011, and continues today by some schools, to help raise funds for a new K-9 Officer for the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office. The children of the Baldwin County Public School System have raised approximately $13,000 for this campaign.

The Red Ribbon Essay Contest and the Pennies for Puppy Campaign was promoted by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Unit.

(Baldwin County, Alabama)

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 3 male juveniles in connection with the numerous smash and grab burglaries that have occurred in Baldwin County over the past 2 weeks.

While on patrol Sunday night, deputies contacted a suspicious vehicle on the side of CR 12 near North River Road. The occupants were separated and questioned after deputies noticed burglar tools in plain sight inside the car.

One of the occupants subsequently confessed to the numerous burglaries. The suspect also identified 2 other individuals that had taken part in the burglaries.

Investigators located the other suspects and they have confessed as well. At this point, the juveniles have confessed to 15 such burglaries in Baldwin County and Escambia County, Florida.

Most of the thefts consisted of cigarettes and currency in AL and spice in FL.

The burglaries are as follows:

Big Country's (twice)

Magnolia Springs Pure station

Bon Secour Pic n Pay(twice)

Uncle Sams in Lillian

Miflin BP

Fish River Pride

Dixie Oaks

The Zone (54&55)

Silverhill BP (104&49)

Shell station @ 98 & 98

3 unknown locations in Escambia County Florida.

(Baldwin County)

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office partnered with the Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency to acquire a new Sky Watch Tactical Platform. This new Sky Watch system was purchased with funds from a State of Alabama Homeland Security Grant. This purchase was approximately $100,000. The new Sky Watch Tactical Platform will be used for law enforcement purposes as well as large events such as the Baldwin County Fair, Gulf Coast Shrimp Festival, Gulf Coast Concert Events, and
Mardi Gras.

Pictured:

Baldwin County EMA Director John Perrett, Baldwin County EMA Grant Coordinator Alison Steiner, Baldwin County Sheriff Hoss Mack, and Capt. Jimmy Milton of the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office

(Bay Minette)

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission announce a ground breaking ceremony at the Law Enforcement Training facility at Baldwin County at the Mill Creek Pistol Range located at 15950 Mosley Road, Stapleton Alabama on June 16, 2011, at 10am. This ground breaking ceremony will unveil the new 100 seat, $350K state of the art advanced law enforcement training facility.

Expected attendance will include Sheriff Grover Smith of Escambia County Alabama, Sheriff Sam Cochran of Mobile County, and numerous Baldwin County Chiefs of Police, Commissioners and the Executive Secretary of APOST and Sheriff Hoss Mack of the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.

(Baldwin County)

The BCSO has signed warrants and requested the arrest of the former BCSO corrections officer for falsifying a governmental record and obstructing justice.

Bowen was arrested by Atmore PD this afternoon.

Bowen resigned from his post the day after inmate Zachary Barber was found hanging from his cell 5/31.

The investigation revealed Barber falsified records and lied to BCSO investigators who were investigating Barber's death.

At this point, there is NO reason to believe Bowen's actions contributed to Barber's death.

There is no one available for further comment today. More info tomorrow as the investigation continues.

Both charges are misdemeanors.

(Baldwin County)

Baldwin County Sheriff, Huey Hoss Mack wishes to announce the 5th Annual Sheriff Taylor Wilkins Memorial Golf Tournament. The annual golf tournament benefits the Alabama Sheriff’s Youth Ranches and the Boys Ranch located in Summerdale, Alabama.

The tournament will be held at Glenlakes Golf Course again this year. It will be April 16th 2011.The tournament features a four member team scramble and includes lunch and beverages. Lunch will be served at noon with a tee time of 1PM. Several door prizes will be given out throughout the day. This year the Sheriff’s Office wishes to thank the Liquidation Outlet of Loxley and Foley, Alabama for being our primary door prize sponsor. Titles sponsors for this year are Keefe Commissary, Coke a Cola, and Barber Marina.

Sheriff Taylor Wilkins served as Baldwin County Sheriff from 1947 to 1975. During his tenure he served on the Board of Directors for the Alabama Sheriff’s Youth Ranch System. Sheriff Wilkins was instrumental in the creation of several youth ranches, particularly locating the Boys Ranch on County Road 32 in Summerdale. This Ranch houses approximately 12 boys who range in age from 6 to 18 years old. The Summerdale Ranch also houses the Youth Ranches College Transitional home where young men can live while attending local colleges.

Since the Tournament began in 2007, over $100,000 has been raise for the Youth Ranch.

Hole Sponsorships and Teams are still being accepted. If you would like to sponsor a hole or place a team in the tournament, please call Mrs. Barbie Day @ 251-937-0200 by April 12, 2011.

(Elberta)

After an exhausted investigation of the incident involving Elberta Chief of Police Mickey L. Pledger on Sunday February 13, 2011 by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Hoss Mack announces this evening that Chief Pledger has been arrested for the following charges.

1. Firing into an occupied building

2. Filing a false police report

3. Tampering with evidence.

Chief Pledger was provided an opportunity this afternoon to participate in a polygraph examination. Chief Pledger agreed to and was administered the exam. After the completion of the polygraph, Chief Pledger was advised that he had failed the test. During a subsequent interview with Chief Pledger he admitted that he fired his backup .38 caliber weapon into his office window while an Elberta Police Officer was inside the building. Chief Pledger then admitted that he fired his duty .40 caliber Sig Sauer weapon into the ground and told responding law enforcement officers that he pursued and returned fire at the perpetrator.

Approximately 3 days after the incident, Chief Pledger called investigators with the Sheriff’s Office and advise them the he had located a bullet casing across the street from the Police Station that he believed was the casing of the shot fired in his direction. During the aforementioned interview Chief Pledger admitted that he planted the shell casing in order to bolster his previous story.

Chief Pledger 56, was transported to the Baldwin County Correction Center where he was booked for the above mentioned charges and his being held on a $12.000.00 bond.

(Bay Minette)

On 2-13-11 at approximately 10:34 P.M. the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call for assistance from the Elberta Police Department. Chief Mickey Pledger of the Elberta P.D. asked the Sheriff’s Office to assume the investigation of an incident that had occurred at their Police Department just minutes before.

The Elberta Chief advised that “while retrieving a file from his vehicle that was parked at the rear of his station he saw a person standing in the back yard area of the building with their back facing the Chief”. The Chief asked the person “what he was doing and at that time Chief Pledger stated that the subject spun around and discharged a firearm”. The Chief told investigators” that he was uncertain as to the direction the individual fired the shot”. Evidence was found that the police building was struck by the perpetrators shot as a projectile was discovered inside the police building. The Chief fired one shot toward the individual and at that point the subject ran in a westerly direction from the Police Building.

The description of the subject was a white, possibly light skinned Hispanic male, wearing a dark jacket, blue jeans and a black knit cap. There was no evidence found at the scene that indicated the subject was struck by the Chief’s return fire.

If anyone has any information as to this subjects identification or any information about this incident please call the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office at:

251-937-0202.

Captain Stephen K. Arthur

Investigations Command

Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office

(Baldwin County)

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office released its Annual Report for 2010. Contained in the comprehensive report, are statistical and administrative information regarding the operations of the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office. Some of the items included are crime statistics, financial status, employment information, as well as, many categories of sheriff’s operations. A brief synopsis of the Annual Report is as follows.

In 2010 the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office answered 77,561 calls for service. The top five (5) calls for service were:

Burglary Alarms 1,591

Suspicious Autos 1,259

Civil complaint issues 1,186

Assist another agency 1,073

Animal complaints 1,035

The Sheriff’s Office served a total of 23,754 civil documents which include subpoenas and various orders from the Court.

The Sheriff’s Office issued 10,573 permits in 2010.

The Sheriff’s Office executed a total of 13,863 warrants of arrest in 2010.

The top five (5) types of warrants were:

Possession of controlled substance 580

Theft 473

Possession of Marijuana 426

Domestic Violence 403

Burglary 321

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office recorded a decrease in many categories in criminal activity in 2010 as compared to 2009. There were, however, increases in a few areas. The following is a listing of some of the criminal activities in 2010.

2009 2010

Assaults 185 124

Auto Thefts 81 72

Breaking and entering of auto 103 121

Burglaries 335 302

Domestic violence 851 873

Drug violations 275 484

DUI 129 135

Homicide 2 1

Rape 9 10

Robbery 11 7

Sex Abuse 42 53

Theft 859 764

Traffic Stops 13163 14529

The most significant increase in criminal activity in Baldwin County in 2010 was that in the area of property related crimes, particularly those related to the breaking and entering of motor vehicles and farm related theft to include copper wire from irrigation systems and air conditioning systems. Narcotic crimes were also reported at a substantial increase, mainly due to several large scale narcotic investigations being concluded in 2010 through several arrests.

Methamphetamine usage continues to be on the increase in Baldwin County; however, crack cocaine and marijuana still seem to be the drugs of choice among illegal drug activity.

The average daily inmate population for the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Corrections Center continued to drop with the highest average daily population being in September with 587 and the lowest in December with an average of 439 individuals in the 649 bed facility.