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PROGRESS 2021
RED BAY POLICE DEPARTMENT 112 Fifth Ave. SE | Red Bay 256-356-4455
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s the Red Bay chief of police since 2009 – and the first female to rise to the role – Chief Janna Jackson knows a thing or two about community policing. Her foray into law enforcement began as a part-time dispatcher after taking criminal justice in college, and she was hired on to the Red Bay Department full time in 1996. “I just had a desire to help people,” explained Jackson. “I wanted to try to make a difference in the community.” In addition to being the first female chief, Jackson was also the first female officer in any capacity, hiring in as a patrol officer. “That was my dream – getting to be an actual police officer – so I was glad to get that opportunity,” Jackson said. Contrary to the situation some women in law enforcement have faced, Jackson said she was readily welcomed at Red Bay and not treated any differently from her male colleagues. “I think
everything went well. We just knew there was a job to do.” When the chief’s role came open, the police committee encouraged her to take the position. “It just seemed like God opened that door. I prayed about it,” Jackson said. “We have a great bunch of officers, dispatchers and reserve officers who really want to serve the community. They do a great job, and it makes my job go a lot more smoothly.” The Red Bay department, Jackson said, is blessed to be surrounded by a supportive community and city council. “It’s often that we get specific support, where someone will come by and bring food, or I’ll see someone out in town who lets me know they are praying for our department,” she said. “We’re really blessed with good support.” She credited the city council and mayor specifically with always standing behind the local police force and enabling RBPD to upgrade technology and purchase new
equipment as the need arises. “We continually have to be growing and moving forward or we get behind,” Jackson said. She and her officers are determined “to do what we can for the safety of the community, to try to help people in their time of need and be proactive in stopping criminal activity before it starts.” Red Bay’s police force fills a variety of needs. Officers work regular patrols throughout the city, and the department has an investigator as well as a separate K9 unit to investigate narcotics. Officers keep up their training, with Capt. Scotty Belue leading the charge. In addition to being able to help people through their worst situations in life, Jackson said another rewarding part of her job is “seeing younger officers come into law enforcement and helping to support them and watch them start a whole career in law enforcement. That’s rewarding
– when you see them growing and helping people in the community.” Of course, not every story of trying to help someone in need has a happy ending. “Sometimes you see people who are in bad situations and choose to stay in the those situations – and we really like to see people receive help and make those changes to have a better life for them and their families,” Jackson said. “We do our part to try to help.” Jackson said although Red Bay is fortunate to have the community’s support, she knows many of her fellow officers across the nation do not receive that same response from the community. The current climate makes her think of terrible times warned about in the Bible, “when people call good evil and evil good.” “Police are a necessity. There has to be civil order in cities, for the protection of the city, to keep law and order,” Jackson said. “Without law and order, there’s chaos.”
