Opelika Police Chief: Change in culture over the past few weeks leads to solving of cases
Opelika Police Chief Shane Healey is seeing a change in culture over the past few weeks which has led to more tips and calls involved recent cases and leading to the solving of major cases.
Opelika Police have been working back-to-back serious cases which include an Opelika officer struck and dragged by a vehicle, two senseless murders, an assault on an elderly woman, and then a bank robbery. “As I sit in my office and look out over the city, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride in the change that has occurred in Opelika over the past year. It’s been a tough couple of weeks for our community and the effects of this change have truly been brought to light,” Healey said. “Back-to-back incidents can sometimes break a community, however, Opelika remained steadfast! You did not waiver or shrink from responsibility and worked to be a part of the solution.”
Healey added in Monday morning press release, “Through each of these horrible incidents, citizens stood up and spoke up. I cannot remember a time in my policing career when we have had so many people speak up about what they saw and knew.
Witnesses have also been a major help to officers working the busy east Alabama city.
When the officer was injured, the Kroger parking lot was full of witnesses. On another scene with a suspect who barricaded in his home after stabbing his sister, neighbors helped authorities contact family members. On a murder scene, several people stood up and said, “Enough is enough, this senselessness has to stop!”
These people encouraged others to band together and speak up. “Our department has been flooded with calls and tips that furthered all of these investigations and have led to the arrests of two murder suspects,” Healey said. “We also received several calls of well wishes for our injured officer and a few calls with words of thanks and encouragement. This strengthened resolve was unheard of just a few short years ago.”
Detectives continue to work on cases daily where no one has come forward we maintain hope. “We hope this shift not only continues but empowers those who were too afraid to speak up at the time, to come forward now with information to help close those cases,” the release from Healey continued. “I am proud of our citizens for coming together and deciding they want better for the community. I am elated to stand beside them and support them in order to bring successful conclusions to these types of incidents. We would not have been able to bring justice to these victims without your help, so I thank each and every one of you for standing up and speaking out. We will not forget how you have helped change the culture of our community and know we are on our way to changing the world from Opelika, Alabama.”
If you know anything about any case in Opelika, contact Opelika authorities.
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