Alabama police department disbanded after evidence scandal taints 58 cases

article

Hanceville, Alabama, located between Huntsville and Birmingham, is at the center of a police corruption scandal that led to the dismissal of 58 felony cases and the disbanding of the town’s police department. (FOX )

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - A small Alabama town is dismantling its police department and dismissing dozens of criminal cases after a corruption investigation revealed widespread mishandling and loss of critical evidence.

Officials in Hanceville, population roughly 3,200, announced that 58 felony cases would no longer be prosecuted following indictments of five police officers—including the chief—on charges related to the tampering or disappearance of firearms, drugs, and money from the department’s evidence room.

What happened inside the department?

The backstory:

According to a statement Wednesday from Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker, a grand jury found what it described as a "rampant culture of corruption" inside the Hanceville Police Department.

The findings stemmed from an audit by the Alabama State Bureau of Investigations, which revealed that nearly 40% of the 650 evidence bags and almost a third of all stored firearms had not been properly documented. Many items were missing altogether—including drugs, guns, and cash.

Crocker said most of the 58 dismissed cases were drug-related, and only a few involved personal crimes with direct victims. "Even one compromised case is too many," he said, "but the Grand Jury had no other recourse."

What did the grand jury recommend?

The grand jury’s indictment went beyond criminal charges—it included a recommendation to immediately abolish the department.

In February, Hanceville Mayor Jimmy Sawyer placed the entire department on leave. After weeks of community debate, Sawyer announced in March that the department would be disbanded and rebuilt from scratch.

How is the town reacting?

Local perspective:

The situation has deeply shaken Hanceville, a tight-knit community about 45 miles north of Birmingham. A spokesperson for the town’s government did not respond to requests for comment as of Thursday afternoon.

While efforts to rebuild the police force are underway, it remains unclear how long the process will take or what interim law enforcement arrangements are in place.

Why you should care:

This case underscores the far-reaching consequences of law enforcement misconduct—not just for public trust, but for the criminal justice system itself. 

Dozens of prosecutions, some possibly involving guilty defendants, have been invalidated because evidence can no longer be trusted.