Sheriff’s office makes promotions, receives accreditation

from 280 Living February 2023

Mt Laurel Library

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE

Shelby County Sheriff John Samaniego recently announced the promotion of Maj. Clay Hammac to the rank of chief deputy.

Hammac’s promotion was effective Jan. 6, and he is now ranked second in the department behind the sheriff. He is currently responsible for the operational command and oversight of criminal investigations, drug enforcement, uniform patrol, tactical response, media relations and oversight of budget, personnel and risk management.

“Clay has almost 20 years with us and has checked every box there is to check in the succession plan,” Samaniego said.

Hammac has served in numerous roles during his nearly 19 years with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, including the commander of Shelby County’s multi-jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Task Force and executive director of Shelby County Compact.

Prior to working in narcotics investigations, he was assigned to the criminal investigations division and as a member of the U.S. Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force, where he specialized in white collar, electronic, financial, organized and violent crime investigations.

Hammac has also been recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police as one of the Top 40 law enforcement executives worldwide, from a candidate pool of more than 36,000 law enforcement leaders. Other accolades include being awarded "Law Enforcement Officer of the Year" for Alabama by the Fraternal Order of Police and the Public Safety Award by the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce. Hammac is a recipient of a lifesaving award, two meritorious service awards and the Sheriff’s Award.

A graduate of the FBI’s National Academy and the DEA’s Drug Unit Commander Academy, Hammac has been a part of the FBI LEEDA Trilogy in executive leadership, the DEA’s HIDTA Drug Commander’s Course and Leadership Shelby County.

Mcgee Promoted To Captain

Sheriff’s Lt. Joseph McGee was promoted to the rank of captain in December 2022. He now serves as commander of the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force and is the executive director of Shelby County Compact.

McGee began his law enforcement career as a reserve deputy with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in 1994. As a deputy sheriff, he served as a patrol deputy, criminal investigator, departmental instructor, honor guard member and member of the tactical response unit.

In 2004, McGee was promoted to sergeant. As a sergeant, he served as a patrol supervisor, agency training coordinator, tactical response unit team leader and supervisor at the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force.

In 2012, McGee was promoted to lieutenant and assigned as a patrol watch commander. He was later appointed as the assistant division commander of the patrol division.

The Shelby County Sheriff's Office received Level 1 Accreditation status in 2022, for the fifth year in a row. This is the highest status offered from the National Institute for Jail Operations. The Shelby County Jail was also the first jail in Alabama to receive a NIJO Level 1 accreditation.

This accreditation is an established process for correctional facilities to show compliance with what courts have determined is constitutional when operating a jail. This process is based on guidelines rooted in case law, various state statutes and appellate court rulings.

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