By Jakiya Dudley, Digital Media Specialist
BAY MINETTE, Ala – On Wednesday, January 18, I visited the Bay Minette Field Office located at 209 Rain Drive, which shares a space with the Bureau’s Baldwin Day Reporting Center Lite in a combined building.
This field officeaccommodates the needs of Baldwin County’s probationers, parolees and DRC Lite participants.
District Manager John Brantley, who has served the Bureau for 22 years, gave a tour around the facility where more than 20 officers, specialists and support staff serve together. I was able to witness firsthand how well the large, combined staff works closely together to provide valuable service to their community.
“I truly enjoy the interactions with everyone I work with,” said Brantley. “We’re like one big family and one thing I will miss the most one day is the camaraderie with my fellow staff.”
Along with assisting the team at the Bay Minette Field Office, District Manager John Brantley is responsible for five other field offices – Monroe County, Escambia County, Conecuh County, Covington County and Clarke County. However, his strong team is always supportive and helpful in assisting him juggle his busy workload and accomplish effective rehabilitative services.
I also had the pleasure of speaking with Officer Justin Marsh, 14-year officer, who explained his passion for law enforcement. “I enjoy being one of the factors that plays a role in helping offenders be rehabilitated and become productive members of society,” Marsh said.
Baldwin Day Reporting Center Lite Administrator Joshua Davis highlighted some of the programs the Baldwin DRC Lite offers to participants such as Fatherhood Initiative, Moral Reconation Therapy, and Alabama Cooperative Extensions which provides educational outreach.
“Our agency works diligently to make a change,” said Davis. “The more time I have with each participant, the more positive change I see in their lives and I’m proud of that.”
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.
From Left: Officer Terry Jacquess, District Manager John Brantley, Officer Christopher Vickery, Administrative Support Assistant II Staci Jallans, Officer Justin Marsh, Officer John Collins, Administrative Support Assistant III Sharon Safford, Baldwin DRC Lite Administrator Joshua Davis
