Shelby County Sheriff John Samaniego spoke recently with the Greater Birmingham Young Republicans meeting at Baumhower’s Victory Grill in Vestavia Hills.
“When a lot of people hear Sheriff, they think of somebody with a cowboy hat on who gets on a horse and rides off into the sunset or shoots someone,” Samaniego said. “We are a constitutional officer.”
“We are the arms and legs of the judges,” Samaniego continued. “The Sheriff’s office has to run and maintain the jail.”
Samaniego said that the Sheriff’s office also plays a vital role in election integrity.
“I am part of the election committee,” Samaniego said. “Our deputies play an important part in making sure that our polling places are secure. That is important, especially now.”
Samaniego said that the deputies are also responsible for bringing the ballots to the courthouse, where they are counted. “The ballots then go to the Sheriff’s office. We have secure storage there. Recounts, we have to do all of that as well as election challenges.”
Samaniego said that the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office also has a major law enforcement role.
“Shelby County has 232,000 people. We give direct service to about 130,000,” Samaniego said. “All municipalities house their inmates in their jails. We also have the patrol division.”
“Early in my career, I spent 20 years in investigations,” Samaniego said. “Patrol is totally different.”
Samaniego said that patrol is the most dangerous assignment a deputy can do because they are uninformed. They are the first on the scene and could be walking into a dangerous situation where people know they are coming.
“Investigations handle all the felonies and serious misdemeanors,” the Sheriff said. “Domestic violence is the number one serious misdeed. The children that grow up in that wind up going in the same path in over 90% of the time.”
“Then we have our drug task force which is very important,” Samaniego said. “Unfortunately, Shelby County is more of a consumer county than a distributor county.”
Samaniego said that because the judges in Shelby County are so tough on drug deals, drug dealers avoid making deals in the county.
“I ran the drug task force in Tuscaloosa County,” Samaniego said. “The law allows law enforcement officers to go anywhere in the state. They just have to get warrants from the local magistrate.”
“Just about every municipality shares their investigations with Shelby County,” Samaniego said. “We work hand in hand.”
The Sheriff said that when they catch a juvenile involved in drugs, they get their cell phones and contact the parents of all the kids on those kids’ phones to tell them what their kids are into.
“It’s 50: 50,” Samaniego said. “50 will cooperate, and 50 will just hang up on us. Your child is at risk. Let’s do something about it.”
Samaniego said that the passage of permitless carry is already costing his department a lot of money. His office had been making about $800,000 yearly in pistol permit sales. That money is used for training and equipment.
“We would usually do 125 to 150 a day,” he explained. “We are doing about 25 now. That is a turndown of about 70%.”
When asked if he supports constitutional carry, Samaniego said, “I have never supported that because there is no such thing as constitutional carry. The Constitution has no provision for it. We already had open carry. Six thousand thirty-one people were turned down for permits. 80% of them were for mental health issues. Unless you were a felon or had an alcohol or drugs, you could get a permit.”
Samaniego said that he had his say on that issue last year.
“That is in the past,” Samaniego said. “It is over with. We are going forward.”
Samaniego said that he also opposed the legalization of medical marijuana.
“I think it is further deteriorating the moral compass,” Samaniego said. “Do I think it is going to continue? Yes, that lobby is strong. I don’t think Shelby County wants it. You might have some municipalities.”
Samaniego said that criminals are coming to Shelby County and are focusing on stealing cars at apartment buildings and parking lots. If the doors are open, they steal people’s guns, electronics, and money. If they leave their keys in the car, they steal the vehicle.
“We have been trying to get people to lock their cars,” Samaniego said.
Stephanie Petelos is the President of the Greater Birmingham Young Republicans and is a candidate for state chair.
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