Tuscaloosa Mayor Breaks Tie On Vote Over Job Specifications For Public Safety Director

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox was the affirmative tie-breaking vote Tuesday evening when the City Council was split 3-3 considering the approval of formal job specifications for a new executive-level position overseeing all public safety operations within the city.

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The vote marked a major step forward for the creation of a unified Department of Public Safety for the city and elected leaders will now be tasked with working through how to fund the new position and department.

“Keeping our neighborhoods, businesses, and schools safe while ensuring a timely and effective response has never been more complex," Maddox told Patch following the vote. "In Tuscaloosa, that challenge is amplified by the more than 70 days each year when our police, fire, and other city departments are tasked with protecting nearly a million people attending sporting events, concerts, and other major attractions."

Maddox then said that as the threats to public safety continue to evolve, the strategies must evolve with them, such as proactive methods like streamlined and consolidated leadership.

"Tonight’s City Council vote marks a meaningful step forward in strengthening our ability to respond in this dynamic environment without adding cost," he said. "While there is still work ahead to be done with the Council, this decision reinforces our unwavering commitment to public safety as our top priority.”

The Council voted along racial lines on the job specifications, with the council's three Black elected leaders — District 1's Joe Eatmon, District 2's Raevan Howard and District 7's Cassius Lanier — voting in favor of the measure.

Council President and District 5 Councilor Kip Tyner was not in attendance for Tuesday's meeting.

As Patch previously reported, Maddox said the public safety executive director will report directly to the mayor, will provide strategic leadership and coordination across the city’s police department, fire department, emergency management, and related safety operations.

According to the job classification approved by the council on Tuesday, the executive director will serve as the mayor’s principal advisor on public safety, event security, and community risk mitigation.

Under the approved framework, the executive director will be responsible for aligning safety departments under shared strategic goals, overseeing crisis coordination, and managing the city’s Continuity of Operations Plan.

The role will also reportedly emphasize data-driven policy development, community engagement, and collaboration with other city departments and outside agencies.

Maddox first introduced the proposal over the summer, saying the position would strengthen coordination and improve efficiency among public safety agencies while maintaining high levels of transparency and accountability.

The job requires at least a bachelor’s degree in public administration, criminal justice, emergency management, or a related field, with a master’s degree preferred.

Applicants must also meet Alabama Peace Officer Standards and Training or firefighter certification requirements and have at least 10 years of responsible public safety or emergency management experience.

The executive director role, as it is described, is designed to promote innovation in public safety — including technology integration, alternative response models for behavioral health and homelessness, and expanded emergency preparedness education for the public.

The council’s approval of the classification paves the way for the city to begin recruiting candidates for the new position, which will be among the most powerful positions in local government across the metropolitan area.

District 6 Councilor John Faile — a retired Tuscaloosa Police captain — told Patch he voted against the measure because the council hadn't worked through certain issues with the pay for the position and potential overtime compensation.

He also questioned the urgency for getting the job specifications passed Tuesday night instead of waiting until there was unanimous agreement with the council on such a pivotal decision.

"It was tabled to go back to [the Finance Committee] in three weeks and then they jumped ahead to vote on it," he said. "I wanted to go back to the Finance Committee and work out the bugs, and if we do that, I can probably vote for it."

Indeed, in terms of the merits of the change brought by a Department of Public Safety overseen by a single administrator, Faile said there was a need for some reform to better serve the needs of the community.

"We've got several events this week that we're having to work with [the city] and at the University of Alabama and I really believe this can help," he said. "And let's be honest, we live in a chaotic time and if we can save one life, I'm for it."

District 1 Councilor Joe Eatmon, who represents a wide swath of West Tuscaloosa, where he grew up as a basketball star before becoming the head men's basketball coach at Shelton State Community College, told his colleagues in an email that his district has historically faced some of the city’s highest public safety challenges.

"In recent months, we’ve made real progress in improving those numbers," he wrote. "However, as the city continues to successfully recruit and host more large-scale events, which require a significant share of our police and fire resources, I’m increasingly concerned that my district’s residents could again be left vulnerable."

Eatmon went on to address concerns about overtime costs and salaries for the new position but alluded to the looming fear of school shootings when asking, "how much is a life worth?"

"In all of those tragedies, stronger preparation and better coordination might not have saved everyone, but they could have saved someone," he said. "Some may question whether this position will save a life. The truth is, we don’t know that it will, but we also don’t know that it won’t. And if even one life is saved because of better leadership, communication, and planning, then every dollar invested will have been worth it."

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