Orange Beach Police Department opens doors to the public

By Melanie LeCroy
Posted 8/21/19

Each shift the officers of Orange Beach Police Department gather to exchange relevant information but on Aug. 15 the seats were filled with curious citizens instead of officers.

Orange Beach …

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Orange Beach Police Department opens doors to the public

Posted

Each shift the officers of Orange Beach Police Department gather to exchange relevant information but on Aug. 15 the seats were filled with curious citizens instead of officers.

Orange Beach Police Department held an open house that day for visitors to look around and ask questions. Unlike most city offices, the police department is not open to the public.

Chief of Police Joseph F. Fierro, said he was surprised at the large turnout. The open house began at 11:30 a.m. and by 11:45 a.m. a crowd of over 30 people were enjoying the free lunch provided.

Fierro addressed the crowd. During a brief pause, a gentleman stood and thanked Fierro and all the officers for protecting Orange Beach, the visitors and citizens.

Officers gave tours of the complex and guided each group through the judicial process, to include the trial holding area, municipal courtroom and jail.

Orange Beach is a limited jurisdiction handling only misdemeanor cases while felony cases are handled in Bay Minette.

Court director and court clerk, Honorable Renee Gardner, was on hand to answer questions and explain how things work. One group was surprised to learn that the Orange Beach Municipal Court is a certified training center for the National Safety Council Defensive Driving Course. You may attend one of the courses offered if you received a traffic citation. Upon completion of the class, the defendant’s charge will be dismissed unless otherwise ordered by the court.

The jail currently has beds for 35 inmates with a kitchen, laundry, library and two exercise yards. Board games, corn hole and tv keep inmates busy when they are not working. Their labor is used to wash patrol cars, cook, laundry and complete maintenance.

The tour wrapped up with a visit to the parking lot for a look around the 2019 Chevy Tahoe police vehicle. Officers pointed out that cameras have been mounted to the windshield and a Go Rhino push bumper has been added to the front of the vehicle.