Welcome to the Sylacauga Police
Department's website. My name is Louis Zook and I am proud
to serve as your Chief of Police. We have developed this website to
help our community and other agencies learn about who we are and what we can
offer the citizens of Sylacauga. It is my hope that what you find
within the site is informative and interesting. Our web page has been
designed to be visually appealing and easy to navigate.
As we begin the 21st century, the Sylacauga Police Department continues to seek ways to improve our operations and services, to better provide for the public safety needs of the Sylacauga community. Public safety runs the gamut from all types of crime prevention programs to all types of post crime response. Behind the friendly face of the police officer lies a caring individual who has committed their life to serve the community. Hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars have been spent in training to ensure our officers have the most up to date knowledge and equipment available. And this investment has paid off. Today, the City of Sylacauga is fortunate to have seen decreases in major crime over the past 10 years. This positive rating has been attained through dedicated and committed officers, and through citizens who are dedicated and committed to forming stronger, pro-active relationships with our police department.
The Sylacauga Police Department has been partners with our community for over 100 years. During this time, the men and women of the Sylacauga Police Department have proudly served and protected the people of our community. Today we continue the same rich tradition of service and professionalism that our department has exhibited throughout our history. You can relive portions of our history by visiting our Historical Image Gallery.
The Sylacauga Police Department consists of 54 employees, - 42 sworn officers and 12 support personnel - all highly competent, committed and dedicated men and women with a common goal, "Building a Better Community through Involvement." We operate under the premise that we are a part of, not apart from, the community and we are involved with the community in improving our quality of life. We are involved because we believe that the time you spend involving yourself in your community is an investment in the future of the community. We strive to be a family oriented organization and to be actively involved with as many local organizations and events as possible. Whether it be participating in a local Boy Scout Troop, Little League, or a "Fun Day in the Hood", the Sylacauga Police Department is truly part of our community.
The nature of a small city requires officers to be approachable and friendly. Throughout the history of the Sylacauga Police Department, we have hired many of our own residents as support personnel and police officers. Some have moved on, others still remain with us today. By drawing from our population, we insure that officers have a sense of belonging and pride for the city in which they work. They are familiar with the problems our community face and have a vested interest in finding solutions. You can learn who our officers and staff are and what they do by visiting our Department Division Pages.
The founder of modern law enforcement, Robert Peel, said in 1829, that the first job of the police is to prevent crime and the majority of our resources should be directed there. If a crime occurs then we should deal with that, but our first priority should be to create community awareness as to the causes of crime and thereby reduce the opportunity to commit crime. This continues to be our focus.
The Sylacauga Police Department is a strong proponent of community policing methods and the cornerstone of this philosophy revolves around partnering with the community to improve the quality of life for all residents of Sylacauga. We continue our commitment to keep our citizens informed about Sylacauga Police Department activities, programs, and accomplishments, while at the same time educating the community about crime in their neighborhoods and what they can do to decrease crime and the fear of crime. As the chief law enforcement officer of the City of Sylacauga, I want our residents and visitors to feel safe not only in their own neighborhood but in every area of the city. The only way to achieve that is to collaborate with every aspect of the city - businesses, civic groups, churches, schools, and individuals. By combining these partnerships with our record of excellence in law enforcement, we look forward to making Sylacauga not only one of the most exciting places to live, but also one of the safest.
The Sylacauga Police Department is a progressive department and a growing agency. We maintain our progress and strive to be one of the elite in law enforcement. In doing so our department is often recognized for our efforts. In addition, we strive to recognize the individual efforts of all of our personnel. Whether recognition for years service or employee of the year, we want the members of our department and community they serve to appreciate their dedication and professionalism. For more, visit Awards and Recognition. We also will never forget those that paid the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives in the protection of their community.
Along these same lines, we are always interested in what our community thinks about our performance. Surely we want to hear the compliments, but we are also interested in your complaints. For it is through both your compliments and complaints that we are able to measure our strengths and our weaknesses. Feel free to let us know when we've done a good job - we can all use more "pats on the back". I hope you will also feel free to let us know when you think we have let you down - it may be a misunderstanding, or we may have simply made a mistake - but please let us know. If you are not sure about something you saw or heard, you might find more information in our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you cannot find the information here, check out our Contact Info and Links pages for everything from addresses to phone numbers to email to other law enforcement related websites. Give us a call, drop in to see us, or stop us on our rounds.
Working together, we can keep Sylacauga a safe, friendly, and excellent community.