Alabama Highway Patrol
The Alabama Highway Patrol is the highway patrol organization for the U.S. state of Alabama, and has complete jurisdiction anywhere in the state. Its Troopers duties include motor vehicle law enforcement and rural traffic crash investigation covering about of rural roads, as well as special duty performance during emergencies.
The Alabama Highway Patrol was created in 1935. As of March 2024, 35 officers have died while on duty since its founding. It is subordinate to the Alabama Department of Public Safety, which is itself subordinate to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
History
Establishment
Governor Bibb Graves established Alabama's first statewide law enforcement agency on December 5, 1935. The Alabama Highway Patrol began with twelve motorcycle officers.First pony car vehicles
In 1971, the Alabama Highway Patrol became the first police organization in the United States to use downsized vehicles for regular highway patrol duties. This pre-dated, among others, the Camaros and Mustangs used by other departments years later. AMC Javelins were the first pony cars used as police cars by any U.S. organization.The Alabama Highway Patrol evaluated two versions supplied by Reinhardt AMC of Montgomery, Alabama: a 1971 AMC Javelin SST with a V8 and a 1971 Javelin-AMX with a V8 engine. Because they were so different than the traditional police cars, the Javelin AMX "was the most abused police car in the history of Alabama". The "401-cu.in. V-8, three-speed automatic and 2.87 gears were good for about 140 mph, by which point the nose of the car started to get rather light".
After this trial, the first order was for 61 cars finished in silver and ten unmarked cars in various colors. Due to further cost-cutting reasons, they were base model Javelins with heavy-duty "fleet" equipment, "machine wheels" with Goodyear Polyglas raised-white-lettered tires, and rear spoilers to display the "state trooper" markings on the rear of each car. A "401" emblem covered the holes in the spoiler to replace the AMX emblem. In 1972, a total of 62 Javelins were ordered: 12 in all silver paint, 42 were finished with the hoods, decklids, and spoilers in blue over silver body as the new police car scheme, as well as eight were unmarked cars in various colors. The 1972 models were only available from AMC as "SST" versions and included additional exterior and interior trim. The 1972 versions were delivered by Reinhardt AMC and also by Bill Whitten AMC/Datsun in Birmingham.
A total of 132 Javelins were purchased between 1971 and 1972. The Javelins came with AMC V8 engines. The cars had a 1st-gear lock-out feature installed by state maintenance and were capable of going over." The last of the AMC Javelins was retired in 1979, and one of the original cars is now part of the Museum at DPS Headquarters.
James Fowler
Trooper James Bonard Fowler became a significant player in escalating the acute racial conflict that led to the Selma to Montgomery marches in the civil rights movement. As a corporal in the Alabama State Police in 1965, he shot and killed an unarmed black man, Jimmie Lee Jackson, but was not prosecuted and convicted for the killing until 45 years later. In a later incident, he shot and killed an unarmed black man by the name of Nathan Johnson. Johnson had been arrested for suspicion of drunken driving on U.S. Highway 31 and was fatally shot by Fowler at the Alabaster, Alabama Police Department.Weapons issued
The currently issued sidearms for Alabama state troopers include the Glock 17 Gen 5 and the Glock 45, which are both chambered in 9mm. Additional weapons provided to troopers include the Bushmaster M4-type carbine rifle and the Benelli M4 police magnum shotgun. Less-than-lethal weapons include OC spray, ASP collapsible batons, and tasers.Troops
The Alabama Highway Patrol's troops cover the following counties as listed:Rank structure
The Alabama Department of Public Safety has a paramilitary rank structure and the rank structure is as listed:| Rank | Insignia |
| Director | |
| Assistant director | |
| Chief | |
| Captain | |
| Lieutenant | |
| Sergeant | |
| Corporal | |
| Senior trooper | No rank insignia |
| Trooper | No rank insignia |