Newly appointed Baldwin County Sheriff Anthony Lowery fully intends to serve the people of Baldwin County "for a long time," he told 1819 News.
A Baldwin County native, Lowery said he was honored to be the next sheriff as Huey "Hoss" Mack begins his new job as executive director of the Alabama Sheriff's Association.
Lowery said he almost didn't pick up the call from Gov. Kay Ivey Monday morning because he didn't recognize the number. He was visiting a friend's farm when the phone rang.
"I was riding around on the farm when I looked down and saw the 334-area code and I almost didn't answer," he said. "But I'm like, 'Oh, that might be somebody with another question,' and it happened to be the governor herself. She introduced herself, but I would recognize her voice anywhere."
As he listened to the governor tell him he would be the next Baldwin County sheriff, Lowery said he became emotionally overwhelmed. He said it's an honor to be appointed, but he knows he has big shoes to fill.
"[Sheriff Mack] and I, we've been in the sheriff's office almost two decades together," he said. "But we worked a lot before then together on cases and different things for Baldwin County."
"So, it's a huge honor," he continued. "It means a lot. I don't think I could even quantify how good it feels."
Lowery said the first question he is always asked is, "What will you do on your first day?" While he won't make any major changes, he plans to improve the sheriff's office's branding. He wants to breathe fresh air into the department's image and get more involved in the community.
"I've been doing this a long time," Lowery said. "I've been chief deputy for six years. There's a lot of stuff already on my calendar for that first week, and those are the things we've been doing."
"Obviously, I think you've got to put yourself out there and be accessible and not everybody can drive to the sheriff's office, so my intent is to do like I've done and attend a lot of events," he added.
The sheriff's office will continue building the new jail, which will double the size of the corrections center. Baldwin County already has one of the only two accredited jails in the state.
The school resource program will continue, and Lowery said enhancing safety and security of schools will remain a top priority. He also wants to get the sheriff's office again involved in Friday night football.
"Obviously, the children of Baldwin County are the best thing that we have, and we're going to do everything we can to grow the school resource program and really take care of the kids of Baldwin County," he said.
Lowery said he would continue programs while looking for areas for improvement. He is thankful he is inheriting a department with employees who appreciate their jobs and their community.
The sheriff's office has recently faced controversies, with a captain being placed on administrative leave for policy violations and an FBI task force agent being removed from his position for improper handling of evidence. Lowery said those types of challenges are unavoidable, but he vowed to address any new issues as they arise.
"I think that any agency, certainly when you get in a Sheriff's Office that is this big, you're going to have issues that pop up from time to time," he explained. "I don't think that's uncommon to see throughout the state or anywhere else, and you address those issues as they come."
Nationwide, law enforcement has struggled for years to gain public trust. Lowery said the answer to those struggles starts within the department.
"I think our internal culture of the Sheriff's Office is really good," said Lowery. "The people that work here, they want to be here. They want to work in Baldwin County. So, we don't face some of the same challenges that you face in big cities or other parts of the country."
"We rely on our culture," he continued. "We want to be there to take care of our people and make sure that they're getting all the things that they need to do a good job and be servants to Baldwin County."
The department's Crisis Intervention Teams program will also continue.
Lowery will also take Mack's place on the board for the Baldwin County Major Crimes Unit.
Lowery has lived in Foley, Gulf Shores, Robertsdale and now Summerdale. He said Baldwin County is a special place, and he is looking forward to his time as sheriff.
"We're blessed here in Baldwin County," he said. "We have tremendous resources, natural resources; You know I'm an outdoorsy-type person, so obviously, I'm drawn to that."
"I love to hunt and fish; I love to fish offshore. That's my passion," Lowery added. "It's a great place to raise a family. My wife and I raised our kids here."
"There's just no other place that I would rather be."
As he prepares to take over on September 1, Lowery looks forward to sprucing things up.
"I think you'll see us really keep pushing the envelope, trying to get the latest equipment and all the sort of stuff that we can," he said.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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