BIOGRAPHY
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Republican Mike Hale presents a combination of innovative, responsible leadership with decisiveness and toughness on crimes and criminals. He is a trusted public servant responsible to the citizens, and as such has not and will not abuse the power or authority of this office. As sheriff he was the chief law enforcement officer responsible for citizen safety and security in Jefferson County. Throughout his career, he has cared for the people he vowed to protect: from stepping into and solving a ten-year old municipal murder case and bringing peace to a grieving family, to making a $5 million cocaine drug bust in Grayson Valley, one of the largest drug busts in the last ten years.

As much as law-abiding citizens can rely on his protection, criminals fear his persistent enforcement of every law. In his career, Hale has been the leader in a number of areas: oxycontin drug arrests in NE Alabama, illegal dumping cases, video gambling arrests and providing a full-time animal cruelty officer. He has authored policies and procedures to guide his deputies in enforcing the laws of our state: the Domestic Family Violence Policy and the Community Notification Act for Sex Offenders Policy.

Law-abiding citizens can count on Hale to keep criminals behind bars where they belong, not released by error or mistaken identity. Under his watch, Hale never had a single prisoner, nor attempted murderer released by mistake or escape. He takes this job of keeping prisoners in jail extremely seriously and considers it one of the most important responsibilities of sheriff.

In 1999 and still today, Hale is a leader across the state in the fight against adult arcades. While Sheriff, these illegal gambling machines were seized, confiscated, and video gambling operations put out of operation. While Police Chief in Pell City, his officers shut down a large gambling operation in that community as well. There were three arrests with over three hundred charges being filed. When elected, Mike Hale will enforce all laws of the state of Alabama. He will shut down illegal gambling operations and keep them closed.

Crime prevention is his aim with programs such as the first Alabama Cops in Shops program, which places undercover officers in retail stores and convenience shops. These officers stop underage drinking as well as shoplifting and robbery. He also expanded the D.A.R.E program and placed 20 officers in schools to protect children and to serve as role models to keep kids off drugs. He re-opened the vice and narcotics unit in West Jefferson County sending a strong signal, that drugs and crime will not be tolerated.

Citizens can expect Hale to be fiscally responsible. He cut fat in the department and spent tax dollars carefully and wisely, seeking to use innovation to raise efficiency. Hale created the first centralized accounting unit for the sheriff’s department. Before he left the office of sheriff, he set aside $230,000 of a grant and was ready to install a centralized database called MAGIC (Multi-Agency Government Information Computer) for all Jefferson County law enforcement agencies to access and share crime report information.

Emergency preparedness is vital to Hale’s vision of today’s law enforcement. Hale hosted a training course called Preparedness For First Responder Officers to An Active Shooter. Officers were trained to handle a crisis such as a school shooting or workplace violence situation without delay. The seminar included rapid deployment, intervention tactics and barricade hostage techniques for the first officers arriving at the scene with no delay. These courses are essential in the uncertain world of terrorism and violent crimes.

Hale believes that public safety and public pride mean public prosperity. Businesses looking for new locations pay attention to how streets look, what the crime rates are, and how we take care of litter and animals in our community. Hale has instituted policies to address all of these issues.

Mike Hale is a college graduate with a B.S. in criminal justice, and graduate of the FBI academy. A 29-year veteran of law enforcement, he has been married 31 years to Dianna Hale and is a devoted family man and a devout Christian.

A 29-year veteran of law enforcement, Mike Hale was elected Sheriff of Jefferson County on his first political run in 1998 and fulfilled every campaign promise in ten months.

• Chief of Police, Pell City, 2000 - present
• Elected Sheriff of Jefferson County, 1998
• Graduate, FBI National Academy, Quantico, Virginia 1985
• Graduate, UAB, Criminal Justice, 1987
• Graduate, Woodlawn High School, 1969
• Captain, promoted up the ranks and commanded every division in the Sheriff's Department, 1976-1998
• Homewood Police Officer, 1973-1976
• Author, the Sheriff's "Domestic / Family Violence" policy
• Author, the Sheriff's policy for "The Community Notification Act for Sex Offenders"
• Board of Directors, Family Violence Project, 1979
• Member, Metropolitan Criminal Justice Executive Association, National Sheriff's Association, and International Association of Chiefs of Police
• Member, B.P.O. Elks, Birmingham Lodge #79 & Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 972
• Advisory Board Secretary-Treasurer, Alabama Department of Youth Services, Vacca Campus, 1997
• Member, Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 50
• Master Mason, Scottish Rite, Eastern Star, and Shrine
• President, Hewitt-Trussville High School Athletic Boosters Club, 1986-1989
• Member, The Church at Brook Hills