Albany State Police captain seeks Dougherty Sheriff’s office

ALBANY — Albany State University Police Department Capt. Keithen Hall’s quest to become the top law enforcement agent in Dougherty County just got very real.

Hall, a former Albany Police Department investigator and current captain with ASUPD in charge of the university’s patrol division, officially qualified to run for Dougherty County Sheriff during last week’s qualifying period. Now he will face DSO Chief Deputy Terron Hayes to replace retiring Sheriff Kevin Sproul. The two will square off in the May 21 Democratic primary, and since there is no Republican opposition, will claim the position with a win in the primary.

As an officer who rose through the ranks, from bicycle patrol to work in homicide and on gang investigations, Hall said he’s built relationships that will benefit him in the sheriff’s office throughout his career. The first-time politician said those relationships involved some of the worst moments in people’s lives, whether it was calling a grandmother to tell her that her grandson was a murder suspect who needed to turn himself in or notifying a victim’s family that their loved one was dead.

Hall said those bonds with the community, and the desire to continue serving the community, drive his campaign.

“Policing the community, getting to know everybody, talking to mamas, to grandmamas, that was beneficial to me,” he said. “Without that, I couldn’t have moved or solved any of these cases. People knew to call me. They would say ‘I don’t know, but I heard …’ Once I got into investigations, I found my stride. People called and told me stuff because you have those relationships.

“I have the skills from robbery/homicide. I know how to deal with people during their most trying times, the times you have to knock on that door and tell them the person you love the most is no longer here.”

Hall graduated from Albany’s Monroe High School in 1984. He said he’s never felt the urge to live anywhere else. His law enforcement career has put him in place to pursue what he says is a calling.

“I’ve been through all the natural disasters — floods, tornadoes; I’ve been through storms, held people’s hands in the rain. I’ve always been a servant to the community.”

As sheriff, Hall said he would like to strengthen relationships between the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies, including the Albany and Dougherty County police departments as well as Albany State and Albany Technical College. He said he thinks that at times agencies work within their silos but should be open to lend assistance to the others when needed.

For sheriff’s office employees, Hall said he would support them by pushing to make sure they are adequately compensated for their work.

“My platform is competitive pay for all employees,” he said. “Everybody deserves to be paid for the work they do. Their pay could be a little more competitive. I want all (employees) to make a competitive salary.”

The law enforcement veteran had praise for Sproul and said he has no criticism of Hayes. His calling is to offer himself as a candidate and let voters decide.

“I’m not a politician,” he said. “If I’m not your favorite, I’m OK with that. I’m really encouraging people to get out and vote.

“I’m just a man who loves his community. My heart is here. What you see is what you get.”

And as the Albany State University family has learned during Hall’s tenure on the campus, he’s a man of his word who puts community first.

File Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]
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