Police Funeral Escort Policy to Change

Fairhope, Alabama

TO BE PROVIDED BY CITY

Police and Courts committee liaison Boone said he had talked to the mayor and Police Chief Petties about returning to providing no-cost police escorts for funeral homes in the city -- at the chief's discretion. Boone asked that the city clerk have the new ordinance ready by the next council meeting.

Boone; "We just need to get something started. Since we've got our new chief ... need to get this implemented."

Council President Burrell asked Chief Petties if he was "ok with that?"

Petties said he talked with Boone about it that afternoon and he was "fine with it."

Petties said he was about to hire 2 new officers for the new crime suppression team that would give him the additional manpower necessary (6 patrol officers per shift).

Petties: "The chief before (Press) was concerned about leapfrogging the lights ... this will give us the manpower we need ... for covering funerals ... most of the time we'll have enough people on the streets to cover them ... when they call ... 90% of the time we'll be able to get them safely to where they are going."

Boone said they were leaving it to the chief's discretion -- if enough manpower is available. Petties called it very rare in his 21 years that any have been turned down due to lack of manpower.

Burrell said he thought providing escorts was a way for citizens to see their police in a positive light --as a last rite; and he knew there were added costs involved, but not as much as perceived by some.

Boone said as a lifetime resident himself "its the last service the city would do for me ... greatly appreciated."

Former Chief Press ended the practice in 2009 because of safety and manpower concerns (click). Mobile and Baldwin County constables have been hired by the funeral home to provided the escorts for the past 3 years.











Comments

Anonymous said…
In his interview, Chief Pettis stated he needed more police officers per shift to adequately cover regular policing duties. Funeral escorts do not fall in this category. Just watch he will be paying overtime to officers for escort duty. The funeral home should reimburse the cost. Oh, but wait, that would decrease the profit margin.
Anonymous said…
Pay back time to the funeral home director. This is the guy that was behind all of the hate signs posted around Fairhope during the election. The same guy that has ties to kant and the previous Mayor. The previous mayor was one of the owners of the funeral home. Same place where the mayor and the Mayor's new council meet to plan out there good old boy plan before the election. Payback time.....
Anonymous said…
The funeral home should reimburse the city from their hefty profit margin. The CITY should NOT pay for this. Ugh.
Anonymous said…
The "Good Ole Boys" are back in town.
Anonymous said…
This is total B.S. and amounts to a tax payor subsidy of a private business. I'd love to have a cop collect bills for me or provide security when I go into high crime areas. Where is MY private police officer for MY business?
Anonymous said…
"Mobile and Baldwin County constables have been hired by the funeral home to provided the escorts for the past 3 years."

If you check this further, you will find that the FAMILIES were billed for the escorts the majority of the time. So, no, the funeral home did not actually pay for the escort, but rather each family did.
Anonymous said…
I don't think Wolfe should charge the families for escorts when he will be getting them free again. also just because the Nix regime is back in charge, certain people should not be given a free ride
Anonymous said…
Its not a big deal. Go ahead and do it. It would look better if there was more than one funeral home in town though.
Anonymous said…
"The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town"...Maybe provide for the "citizens" but the funeral home covers burials over a much farther reach than the city limits of Fairhope. I guess even death is now a taxpayer funded "entitlement"?
Anonymous said…
What about non Fairhope residents who have their funerals at churches here. Daphne, Silverhill, county residents. Will Fairhope police give them final salutes too?
Anonymous said…
Kant, Nix, th funeral home clan run this town,,,,,but the flowers are preeeeeeeeeeeety,,,,
Anonymous said…
Fairhope is a joke, and trust me, everyone is laughing.
Anonymous said…
Gary Wolfe is doing his happy dance today. What a crock! It was never about honor and respect but who should pay the bill! I hope every NON-PROFIT organization now petitions the city to waive their fee for police escorts! Shame on the council! Shame!