County proclaims National Correctional Officers Week and Law Enforcement Memorial Week

The Baldwin County Commission on May 6 adopted proclamations designating the first week in May as National Correctional Officers Week and May 11–17 as National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Week, honoring local correctional staff and memorializing officers who died in the line of duty.

Commissioners cited Corrections Center statistics during the presentation: the sheriff’s office said the Baldwin County Corrections Center processes approximately 13,600 inmate bookings annually and described the facility as one of two nationally certified jails in Alabama. Corrections leadership thanked the commission and staff for recognition and noted the corrections staff’s role in day‑to‑day inmate safety.

The law-enforcement proclamation listed names of county officers killed in the line of duty and their end-of-watch dates, including Deputy Abraham Johnson (EOW 12/26/1881), Deputy James Stewart (EOW 04/11/1895), Deputy Howard Dutton (EOW 10/01/1987), Deputy Scott Ward (EOW 11/23/2012) and Deputy Bill Smith (EOW 06/06/2021). Sheriff Anthony Lowry and commissioners described the May memorial ceremony in Robertsdale and called the week a solemn remembrance rather than a celebration.

Why it matters: the proclamations recognize the work and sacrifice of corrections and law‑enforcement personnel and underscore the county’s support for training, operations and memorial activities. Commissioners and the sheriff noted that remembrance events also prompt review of training and procedures stemming from past line‑of‑duty deaths.

The commission moved, seconded and adopted both proclamations by voice vote.