Walker County sheriff charged with employing 6 uncertified officers, 4 in schools
A Walker County grand jury indicted Sheriff Nick Smith in May 2025 on six misdemeanor counts of knowingly employing people without Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission (APOSTC) certification: four school resource officers, a jailer and a deputy, Andrew Neves-McDonald, whose Arizona certification had been suspended over an excessive-force incident and whom APOSTC ruled ineligible. Chief Deputy Ralph Williams was charged with giving APOSTC false or misleading information. Smith called the case "lawfare" and pleaded not guilty. On July 21, 2026 Circuit Judge Doug Farris rejected Smith's claim that prosecutors had agreed to drop the charges and set the case for the October 2026 jury docket. The charges carry fines, not jail. Smith lost his May 2026 primary and stays in office until January; he said APOSTC's own hearing is on hold until the criminal case ends.
Smith was indicted by a grand jury on six counts of violating the article of standards for employing law enforcement officers.
The District Attorney's Office sought out and obtained an indictment against me and my Chief Deputy.
This cause is hereby set on this Court's October 2026 Criminal Jury Trial Docket.
Walker County Sheriff to face jury trial on misdemeanor charges
Called the charges "lawfare" and said, "I intend to vigorously defend these charges."
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No outcome recorded yet.