SPD praised for event work

Published 12:00 am Thursday, March 10, 2005

Selma officials had nothing but high praise for the work of city employees during the Annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee last weekend.

Interim Selma Police Chief Jimmy Martin said he was pleased with his department’s professionalism during Jubilee.

Selma Police officers, in conjunction with Capital Police, Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, and Alabama State Troopers, were responsible for the safety of average citizens as well as several members of U.S. Congress.

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“We had high visibility in the immediate area (of the Jubilee events) as well as a high presence of law enforcement in the area,” Martin said.

The chief said all the officers spent weeks preparing for Jubilee in case of an emergency.

“We have good leaders in this department who are always prepared for the unexpected,” Martin said.

Even with more than 10,000 visitors to Selma during the weekend, Martin said no major incidents related Jubilee was reported.

Martin said this was partly due to the type of crowds that attended Jubilee, who helped make the police officers jobs much easier over the weekend.

“We had an orderly crowd during the march,” Martin said. “They showed a lot of respect to each other and the speakers.”

Martin said the department’s two task force vans were parked along Water Avenue during Jubilee to serve as remote command posts for law enforcement.

The chief also had praise for the school’s crossing guards, who he said were also visible and active during the Jubilee festivities.

“They conducted themselves accordingly and were a big help in parking cars and giving people directions,” Martin said.

Martin, who worked alongside his officers during the festivities, said he was proud of all the officers and school crossing guards that worked the events.

Mayor James Perkins on Wednesday also had high praise for the men and women in his General Services department.

The General Services crew, Perkins said, spent the weekend picking up trash along Water Avenue long before the vendors and crowds left.

“Henry Hicks (head of General Services) used his own innovation to get Water Avenue cleaned up. His crews did a great job.”

Perkins said his office staff also pitched in and did a “great amount of work” during Jubilee.

“We didn’t have much cash flow (to organize the event), but I think we made a great amount of income,” Perkins said.