Hartselle adds two officers to department
For the Enquirer
Hartselle has two new fulltime patrol officers on its force.
Patrol officers Camron Williams and Zackery Hightower were sworn in during this week’s City Council meeting. Their presence brings the department to 21 full-time officers, leaving it still short three patrol officers and one investigating officer.
Williams, a Hartselle High School graduate, earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Athens State University and started with the Morgan County Sheriff ‘s Office in 2017. He spent about three years working in the jail as a corrections officer, then went to the law enforcement academy in 2019 and graduated the next year. From there he worked in both the patrol and criminal investigation divisions of the Sheriff ‘s Office.
Married with three children, Williams is nearly finished with his master’s degree in criminal justice.
“I’ve been wanting to be a Hartselle police officer since I was in elementary school, but the timing just never worked out right,” Williams said. “I spent seven years at the Sheriff ‘s Office, then (Hartselle) posted an opening.” Hightower said he spent five years with the Hanceville Police Department in Cullman County, including three years in patrol, before coming to Hartselle. He graduated from Holly Pond High School and served as a dispatcher for the sheriff ‘s office before going to the law enforcement academy to become an officer. “I came to Hartselle because there is more opportunity – a bigger chance for growth,” he said. “It’s going good and I am thankful for the opportunity given me and for allowing me to take a chance and come down and work. I’m just excited to be here.” Police Chief Justin Barley said the two officers both made lateral transfers as certified officers and have already been out working for the department.
“This is one of our favorite times when we get new members of the Hartselle family,” Barley told the City Council. “We want our stakeholders to meet you and vice versa. I’m glad to have both of them here. I know that they are going to be a good fit. I’m optimistic they will make an impact really, really quick for us.” Mayor Randy Garrison led the swearing-in ceremony. Barley paused during the ceremony to tell the officers their relationship with the community is a special one.
“You have been on the job before you came here,” the chief said. “You understand all about the code of honor, the code of ethics. Just integrity – doing the job the right way. That’s more important now than ever. You understand the climate in which we function.
“We are very blessed here in Hartselle to have a community that strongly supports us. We want to serve them the right way because we want to protect that relationship. It’s special. Just a reminder of what we are committed to every day.”
