The Hartselle City Council voted unanimously to appoint Lt. Justin Barley, a nearly 20-year veteran of the HPD, as the new acting police chief.

Barley was chosen over Capt. Tom Sparks. Both men interviewed for the position before the council and mayor Dec. 10. According to Mayor Randy Garrison, the City of Hartselle only accepted in-house applicants for the position. Mayor Randy Garrison and members of the council expressed their gratitude to both applicants, noting that the decision was not an easy one to make.

“We had two excellent candidates and I think it came down to the interviews last night,” Councilman Dwight Tankersly said.  “I want to thank both of you for your service to the city and your willingness to step forward and move our department forward.”

“It’s rare that we have two really good, qualified people who are willing to step forward to continue the excellent work of the Hartselle Police Department and I’m glad that we’re able to stay within the department to do that,” Garrison said.

Barley said he is grateful to the city council for the faith put in him to take on the job of acting police chief. “They trusted me with a very big job I take it very seriously and I intend to make them proud,” he said. “It feels a little overwhelming right now but it feels great. I know it was a very tough choice for them but I’m very excited about the future. Capt. (Tom) Sparks has been an excellent boss to me and I know it’s tough but I’m excited moving forward.”

Barley first joined the Hartselle Police Department in 1999. A Falkville High School graduate, he studied Public Safety Administration at Athens State University and Auburn University at Montgomery. He and his wife Mandy have been married for 18 years and have two children, Claire and Aaron, both students at Hartselle High School.

The Hartselle City Council is expected to vote to make Barley the permanent police chief after Ron Puckett is sworn in as the Morgan County Sheriff Jan. 14.