By Lawrence Specker
al.com
PRICHARD, Ala. — Prichard Mayor Carletta Davis said the city is about take big steps to rebuild its police department, including putting officers on leave and striking a deal with Mobile County for continued coverage by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office.
In a statement released Wednesday afternoon on social media, Davis said that she wanted citizens to know that she and Sheriff Paul Burch “are both committed to rebuilding the Prichard Police Department and ensuring public safety throughout this transition.”
| SPECIAL REPORT: Find the hidden gaps in your agency’s logistics readiness
She said she wanted to be very clear about one thing in particular:
“The city of Prichard is rebuilding its police force, not abandoning it.”
The MCSO has handled most policing calls in Prichard since mid-June, when local and federal agencies announced the arrest of a Prichard Police Department officer.
The arrest was part of an ongoing investigation into corruption in the department. Several more officers have been arrested since then, including Chief Walter Knight.
On Monday, Burch reiterated his position that the strain on MCSO personnel and finances is too great to sustain over the long term. He said the MCSO would significantly reduce its coverage in Prichard starting Sept. 4, if agreement wasn’t reached on a long-term contract for services.
Prichard has grappled with the question of whether to “abolish” its department and rebuild from scratch, as recommended by a grand jury, or to work with what it has. Discussion at an Aug. 5 forum revealed that the Prichard force had dropped from around two dozen officers to a little over a dozen.
“They’re not all bad,” Davis said at that event.
“We have had some bad actors. We have had some lack of policy. We have had lack of oversight, and quite frankly, we have had lack of funding. There has been mismanagement of funding.” She also acknowledged that low pay made for a recruiting challenge.
In Wednesday’s statement, Davis said that she had met with Prichard PD officers on Tuesday. They will soon be placed on leave, she said, while the city begins “a comprehensive administrative review and rebuilding process.”
Davis said affected officers will get more information in the coming week. She also said the city had “obtained an experienced consulting team” to help rebuild its police department. She did not reveal any details about that group, but she said officers on leave will have the chance to meet with the team.
Davis said in her statement that she had met with Burch Wednesday morning. The MCSO will continue to provide services in Prichard, she said.
“The City is working with its legal team to develop an intergovernmental agreement governing these services, which I will submit to the Prichard City Council for its review and consideration,” she wrote.
“Our goal is to build a professional, accountable, well-trained, and properly supported police department that our officers can be proud to serve in and our citizens can trust,” Davis wrote. “As part of this rebuilding effort, we intend to pursue accreditation and align the department with the nationally recognized standards established by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).
“This process will take work, and it will require thoughtful and responsible decisions,” she said. “Public safety will remain a priority throughout this transition, and we will continue communicating with our officers and our community as we move forward.”
©2026 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit al.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
