BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
Mark Harrell has been appointed by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey as the new Sheriff of Autauga County.
A swearing in ceremony will be held Monday, but the time is yet undetermined. We will update when we have more information.
Harrell received the news through a phone call and an official letter from the Governor’s Office earlier this evening.
Interviews for the open position were held earlier this week, with multiple candidates.
“I am extremely honored and very excited for the future,” Harrell told the EAN shortly after receiving the news.
After the death of Autauga County Sheriff Joe Sedinger last month, the Autauga County Coroner officially took over the seat briefly, and then Chief Deputy David Hill was temporarily appointed to fill the role.
With Governor’s Ivey’s appointment, Harrell will take over the office after his official swearing in ceremony Jan. 16.
Harrell is a longtime law enforcement officer who retired recently from the Prattville Police Department.
Harrell ran for the position of Autauga County Sheriff last year, but was defeated by the incumbent Joe Sedinger. With the untimely death of Sedinger, Harrell was approached about his interest in an appointment, and he began the process.
While running for sheriff, Harrell said he wanted to assure county residents that the deputies of Autauga County would meet easily identifiable goals to protect and serve.
“My duty is to ALL citizens regardless of Politics, Race, Religion, Gender, Nationality, Sexual Orientation, or Opinion. The Deputies will also adhere to this Oath of Office and the Rule of Law,” Harrell said during the election.
We will have much more on Harrell’s plans and the future of his department in the coming days.
