Robert Bentley terminates Spencer Collier as head of Alabama Law Enforcement Agency

Following reports from multiple news agencies that an internal investigation had uncovered a possible misuse of funds in the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Gov. Robert Bentley announced the termination of ALEA Secretary Spencer Collier Tuesday.

According to a statement from Bentley’s office, Collier was placed on medical leave a few weeks ago to recover from back surgery. It was during that time that Acting Secretary Stan Stabler uncovered “several areas of concern in the operations, policies and procedures at ALEA.”

An internal review by the ALEA Integrity Unit discovered the possible misuse of state funds, though further details are scarce at this time.

“Spencer Collier and I have served together a long time, dating back to my time in the Alabama House of Representatives,” Bentley said in a press release. “He is a friend of mine, and led the implementation of the consolidation of state law enforcement functions into one singular agency, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). I appreciate Spencer’s service to the State of Alabama.”

Collier contends that he has done nothing wrong and believes an outside investigation by the Attorney General’s office will prove that.

Stabler has been appointed to the top spot in the department effective immediately.

Since the announcement of Collier’s termination, he has accused the governor of instructing him to lie to the Attorney General’s office in regard to the ongoing corruption scandal surrounding House Speaker Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn).

Bentley asserts that such allegations are unfounded.