‘Platform For Hate:’ Sheriff’s Office in Alabama Deactivates Facebook Page

WALKER COUNTY, Ala.
March 12, 2025
ABC3340

A sheriff in Alabama says he’s deactivated his office’s Facebook page, saying the move was prompted by negativity he said the page was attracting.

In a message shared on the sheriff’s office’s app, Smith explained the move, which was his and his alone, was prompted by negativity he said the page was attracting.

“Most people enjoyed and appreciated the information, but as with anything else controlled by people, our unique way of providing information to the masses became a point of contention for people that wanted to find an issue with, well, anything really,” said Smith.

Smith also addressed the ongoing issues surrounding the department and personnel. In the post Friday Smith said,

It’s no secret that our department, and this county, have been going through an unprecedentedly difficult time. And while I understand everyone’s varied thoughts and opinions, I no longer see a reason to provide a platform for hate, negativity, and vitriol.

Last week, two law enforcement officers with the sheriff’s office were indicted in connection with the mistreatment of inmate Tony Mitchell during his arrest.

Ten others, mostly former Walker County correctional officers, have plead guilty in federal court to crimes related to the Mitchell investigation. Court filings refer to multiple other co-conspirators including higher ranking jail staff. More indictments are expected.

The sheriff is responsible for jail operations. Sheriff Smith has denied knowing anything about the inhumane treatment and medical neglect in the county jail over a two week period that led to Mitchell’s death two years ago. In a March 2023 interview the sheriff said, “We ask that people be patient and not be so quick to judgement.”

He explained there are a hundred cameras in the jail. “Something happens, there’s outrage then you find out it’s not like they portrayed,” said Smith at the time. The sheriff has declined further interview requests citing the ongoing investigation.

In his Friday message on the sheriff’s office app, Smith explained inmate mugshots would be removed from the app, citing the negative attention they receive on Facebook.

We share those pictures to inform people, and it’s unfortunate that some people use those pictures to illicit [sic] views on their page and then allow people to make fun of the way some inmates look,” he said.

The sheriff assured the community that the department remains committed to providing safety and security, albeit through different means of communication. “We just won’t be doing it on Facebook anymore,” Smith concluded.

You can read Smith’s full statement below:

As many of you may have noticed, the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page has recently disappeared from your timelines. It wasn’t deleted, only deactivated, and this was a decision that was mine and mine alone. When I began my first campaign to be your Sheriff, I promised to provide a more informative Sheriff’s Office. One way of doing that was by capturing real time operations through photos and uploading them to our Facebook page. Because social media has become so prevalent in our society and has quickly become the most efficient method for informing as many people as possible as quickly as possible, it was the natural choice for sharing information. Most people enjoyed and appreciated the information, but as with anything else controlled by people, our unique way of providing information to the masses became a point of contention for people that wanted to find an issue with, well, anything really.

It’s no secret that our department, and this county, have been going through an unprecedentedly difficult time. And while I understand everyone’s varied thoughts and opinions, I no longer see a reason to provide a platform for hate, negativity, and vitriol. Our Facebook page isn’t necessary. We aren’t required to maintain one, and once the purpose of our page was lost, it was time to let it go. Everything that was ever posted was done with the intention to be transparent and informative to the public. Unfortunately, I don’t think certain parts of the public were ready to be that informed.

Law enforcement is a tough business, and things that we deal with on a daily basis are sometimes something a regular citizen couldn’t dream up in a million years. Sometimes that can be a shock to the system of people who aren’t used to seeing it, and here in Walker County I think that was definitely the case. So, moving forward, any information that we believe is important for the public to know, we will push through this app. Encourage your friends and family to download it. And before the conversation gets started, no, we don’t make any money for the app being downloaded or used.

I have also removed the inmate mugshots from the app. This is strictly because of the negative attention they received when shared on Facebook. We share those pictures to inform people, and it’s unfortunate that some people use those pictures to illicit views on their page, and then allow people to make fun of the way some inmates look. While I understand this is just people expressing their first amendment right, it’s hateful and we won’t be contributing to it any longer. And I’ll be honest, there was a time when I didn’t care about things like that, but as time passes things change, and humiliation, even if it’s unintentional, isn’t something we’re going to participate in.

Hate is so easy nowadays. With the ability to hide behind a screen or a fake profile, it’s too easy a temptation to avoid. But hateful world isn’t one I want to operate in. If I’ve learned anything recently, it’s humility. It’s important to see things from other people’s points of view, whether they’re inmates, police officers, or even people that hate you. In trying to do that, I’ve realized some important things. Love is better than hate, support is better than judgement, and prayer is the only way to deal with it all. The Walker County Sheriff’s Office and I are just as committed now as we have ever been to provide safety and security to the people of this county, no matter how they feel about us. We just won’t be doing it on Facebook anymore.

God Bless, Sheriff Nick Smith