On Monday, Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones announced his candidacy for re-election as sheriff.
“This past week, I confirmed my intention to qualify for re-election to the office of Sheriff of Lee County. During my service as Sheriff, Lee County has been one of the fastest growing counties in the state, nearly doubling in population. I have led the Sheriff’s Office during this period of growth and change by setting standards of professionalism in recruiting, hiring and training staff that are among the best in Alabama. I have worked to make sure the Sheriff’s Office has stayed current with changes in technology and provided our deputies with the best equipment available. I have made education and training a priority. Our deputies consistently receive more training hours than the state requires.
During my time as Sheriff, I worked with the city leaders in Auburn and Opelika to transform the Lee County jail into a county-wide detention center. I have established partnerships with federal authorities including the US Marshals Service, ICE and the US Army to house federal detainees. Our detention center is one of a handful in the state with mental health professionals on staff. They assess detainees and coordinate necessary treatment with other mental health professionals. The safety of our schools is one of my top priorities. I established our School Resource Officer program in my first term as Sheriff. We now have School Resource Officers in every Lee County school. These SRO deputies are among the best in Alabama.
My knowledge and experience in establishing programs and coordinating major projects has made the Lee County Sheriffs Office one of the best in the state. I have worked with our congressmen and US senators to secure funding for major projects and am involved with their planning and design. Projects underway include upgrading our communications system, constructing a firearms range and training center in Beulah, and enlarging the detention center to over 600 beds.
I am honored to serve as your Sheriff. I am committed to maintaining the standards of professionalism within the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and plan to work for and with all the people of Lee County for another 4 years”, said Jones.