Editorial Feature
ANNISTON, Ala – On Tuesday, June 14, I visited the Anniston Field Office in Calhoun County. Located in the heart of downtown at 1201 Gurnee Avenue, this midsized field office serves the probation and parole needs of Calhoun and Cleburne counties.
My visit was warmly received, with experienced Administrative Support Assistants Glory Cook and Farris Simmons immediately volunteering to show me around. Additionally, it was a designated monthly check-in day for probationers and parolees, so I was able to witness the professionalism of these two employees firsthand as they interacted with clients and handled required supervision payments.
District 1E Manager Ed Turner took me around to each office, where I met many of the 14 officers, specialists and support staff at the location.
“You’re not doing the same thing over and over again. There’s something new every day,” Turner said, describing the duties of the staff. As I made my rounds, many of the officers were eager to recount interesting recent events happening on the job. Each employee had an observable passion for their duties, and I could tell everyone enjoyed working with each other.
“We get along pretty well,” said Officer-in-Charge Haley Haney. “Morale is good.”
Multiple officers independently spoke of how well their office works with other local law enforcement entities, including the Calhoun County Sherriff’s Office, courthouse, and the next-door community corrections. The field office also maintains a good relationship with neighboring Cleburne county governing entities. Haney said, “We have a good relationship with the courthouse, which makes the job easier.”
Speaking with DM Turner, I observed the comradery among the employees. “We try to put the officers and OICs first,” Turner said. Among others, he acknowledged the exceptional work of his office’s two OICs, Haney and Jeff Lee, who has served at the Anniston Field Office for 18 years.
The officers, specialists and support staff of the Anniston Field Office are professional, cooperative and dedicated, and they make a positive impact on communities in Calhoun and Cleburne counties.
The Bureau has 62 field offices, serving all Alabama counties. Field offices function as a local base of operations for Probation and Parole Officers, specialists and other support staff. Officers are required to make various contacts with probationers and parolees based on their risk level. These contacts range from a monthly office visit for lower risk individuals to weekly office, home, employment and curfew checks for higher risk individuals. In addition, officers are tasked with various types of investigations requested by the Bureau or courts, as well as assisting other law enforcement agencies when needed.
Back row: OIC Jeff Lee, Officer Jordan Anderson, Officer Joshua Henderson, Officer Reginald Smith, District 1E Manager Ed Turner, Officer Jimmy Medley, Officer William Gilmer
