PRESS RELEASE

CITY OF SELMA
EMBARGOED UNTIL
January 30, 2017 at 3:00 pm

FOR MORE INFORMATION

City of Selma 334-874-2101
mayorassistant@selma-al.gov

SPENCER COLLIER TO JOIN CITY OF SELMA AS POLICE CHIEF

SELMA, Ala - Mayor Darrio Melton will hold a press conference today at 3:00 pm at
Selma City Hall to announce his appointment of Spencer Collier as the next police
chief for the City of Selma police department. Collier is the former Secretary of the
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
Were excited to welcome Chief Collier to Selma. Im confident his wide range of
expertise in law enforcement will benefit our city and help move us forward,
Melton said.
Collier served as the states first Secretary of Law Enforcement from 2013 to 2016. He
oversaw the largest realignment of law enforcement in state history, combining 12
state agencies to establish the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). Collier
ultimately managed a staff of 1,400 individuals and a budget of $150 million.
I see so much history and opportunity in Selma, especially under the leadership
of Mayor Melton. Im proud to join the team and work with Selmas officers to
prioritize public safety, Collier said.
Collier will take over as Selmas Police Chief effective February 1.
During his work with ALEA, Collier served as Incident Commander for several large
public events, including the 50th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March. He
coordinated ALEA resources with local law enforcement, the Dallas County Sheriffs
Department, and the United States secret service to coordinate this event that only
resulted in 11 arrests over the weekend.

Prior to the establishment of ALEA, Collier was the Director of Homeland Security for
Alabama. During his tenure, he coordinated efforts for large scale disasters including
the April, 2011, tornadoes and was recognized nationally for his work during Hurricane
Katrina in rescuing more than 30 people from rapidly rising flood waters.
Collier also served as an Assistant Post Commander for the Alabama State Troopers,
which included investigating criminal activity, monitoring traffic, and maintaining a safe
environment for Alabama residents.
Collier is a graduate of the US Naval Postgraduate School for Homeland Defense and
Security, the University of North Florida Institute of Police Technology, the Alabama
Criminal Justice Training Center, the Southwest Alabama Police Academy, and Troy
University.
Collier served along with Mayor Melton in the Alabama House of Representatives.
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