Samaniego receives honor from peers across state

Shelby County Sheriff John Samaniego was recently named the Alabama Sheriff of the Year.

This award is voted on by 67 sheriffs representing every county across the state.

The award was presented during the Alabama Sheriffs Association 2024 Winter Technology Conference, held in Opelika in January. To win this award, Samaniego was nominated by his peers as someone who exemplified outstanding service and heart beyond the scope of his office and displayed leadership, dedication and service to assist other sheriffs throughout the year. 

Samaniego, who has served as Shelby County’s sheriff for over nine years, said finding out he was the winner was an honor, and he was both shocked and humbled.

“It’s humbling when your peers give you something like this, and I really appreciate it,” he said. “I was surprised. They kept it a big secret until about 20 minutes before the banquet opened, and Sheriff [Bill] Murray from St. Clair County waved at me down the hall to tell me Major Jay [Fondren] and Chief Clay [Hammac] were there. My wife and daughter also surprised me at the event.”

During his acceptance speech, Samaniego said he never thought he’d get this award and he “went up and shot from the hip,” thanking everyone from the bottom of his heart. He also gave credit to his team at the sheriff’s office, saying, “I couldn’t have done this without the men and women who work with me. It’s not a one-man show.” 

Samaniego said he was flattered by the introduction from Sheriff Murray, who said he was honored to present the award to someone he considers a dear friend. 

“He is a true public servant and is dedicated to our profession,” Murray said. “He has shared his [almost] five decades of law enforcement experience to help other law enforcement executives across not only our state, but on a national level. He is known for his generosity to help others and never misses an opportunity to do so. His honesty, integrity and total dedication to better our profession has made us all better.” 

Murray went on to say that Samaniego has developed the Shelby County Sheriff's Office into a nationally known and respected law enforcement agency for its professionalism, hard work and dedication, and he has set an example for all to follow.

Hammac has worked alongside Samaniego for 20 years and served under his mentorship and leadership. After traveling the country together, Hammac said he is always surprised that no matter the location, there is never a law enforcement function where someone doesn’t know who the sheriff is. 

“For as long as I have worked for him, he has always been the guy other cops call for expert advice,” he said. “This award is just another testament to the fact that he is well-respected and admired among his fellow law enforcement officers and leaders throughout the state.”

Hammac said one of the greatest leadership lessons he has learned from serving under Samaniego is the importance of investing in others and shining the spotlight on the talents and hard work of their office, not themselves.  

“When the hardworking men and women of our agency know they are appreciated more than words can express, and second only to the citizens we serve, they are our highest priority, and they stand in agreement with the philosophy of the sacrificial service that our law enforcement profession is known for, then we as an agency are set apart and shine bright,” Hammac said. “When leaders spotlight the talent of the men and women in the organization, the men and women in the organization then have the creative freedom to grow and lead in new and unique ways that will always make our community better.”

Fondren, who has worked alongside Samaniego on the command staff since 2011, when Samaniego was still chief deputy, said the knowledge he has gained through his mentorship has been second to none.  

“But what has meant the most to me is the support he has shown to me, my family and the employees of the sheriff’s office,” Fondren said. “There’s no doubt we are lucky to have him as our leader and he is very deserving of this recognition.” 

A storied career

After graduating from the University of Alabama in 1976 with an undergraduate degree in social work concentrated in criminal justice, Samaniego began his career at the Tuscaloosa Police Department, where he dedicated more than 20 years to narcotics investigations before being promoted to assistant chief of police. 

“Back then, the university didn’t offer a criminal justice major, but a master’s degree in criminal justice was offered by having a junior status and B average. It was 18 hours of a graduate-level course,” he said.  

After just three years, Samaniego decided that this was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life, but he wanted to have a fallback plan if that didn’t work out. He decided to get a law degree, working his day shift as an officer and attending classes at the Birmingham School of Law at nights for four years.

“I couldn’t have done it without my old captain,” he said. “He let me work days and also undercover during the summer. Those were great experiences as well.” 

Samaniego, now in his 48th year in law enforcement, arrived at the SCSO as the chief deputy in 2003, and served in that role until he was elected to the office of sheriff in 2014. He is in his third term as sheriff and has more than 25 years of experience in supervisory- and command-level roles.

“When you make lieutenant, you’re an admin at that point. You have the responsibility to share your knowledge with the troops,” he said. “That’s when it changes, and you start noticing people who have what it takes to be a leader and start giving them opportunities and try to develop them and start succession planning. That way, when it's time for you to step away, there are plenty of people trained to take your place. We’re very fortunate to have Clay Hammac, Jay Fondren, Russell Bedsole and Denver McCool as our executive command staff. They all do a fantastic job.” 

Keys to success

One of the things Samaniego said he’s had to do over the years is being able to change with the times. 

“There’s an old adage that police officers don’t like the way it is and can’t stand change,” he said. “The successful people in this profession are the ones that can adapt to change. There are 67 counties in this state with 67 different groups of constituents, and not a single one of them is alike. No cookie-cutter solution to anything. You have to roll up your sleeves and find the commonality or common denominator and work to find solutions, and I think I've been pretty good at that.”

He also credits the support of the Shelby County Commission and the county Personnel Board, describing them as “imperative.” One of the people he looks up to most is Shelby County attorney Butch Ellis, who Samaniego said he learns from every day. 

“Since I've been in Shelby County, he has been my number-one mentor,” Samaniego said. “Every time I have a question, that's who I call.”

Ellis describes Samaniego as not just a colleague, but a well-respected friend, saying the SCSO is the most efficient, well-trained and disciplined law enforcement agency in the state, and that did not happen by chance. 

“Sheriff John Samaniego is a respected, fair-minded man of outstanding personal character, integrity and ability and is a strict administrator who insists on high levels of ability and performance from his highly qualified and motivated deputies and staff,” Ellis said. “He runs a tight ship. He is a devoted husband, father and family man, whose love of family fosters a genuine care for the well-being of others who depend upon him and his office for protection and security. He personally understands and feels the pain and the loss suffered by victims of crime and their families.”

When asked what sets the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office apart from so many other offices, Samaniego narrowed it down to three things. 

“I think, primarily, the relationship we have with the public is number one,” he said. “Since I became sheriff, I opened up the outreach and called it ‘community policing 2.0’ — pushing deputies to engage with the public. My second term, the word was ‘engagement.’ We have an incredible relationship with every community in the county. 

“Second, the people of Shelby County make us successful,” Samaniego said. “They support us, and we changed the culture of this agency when I was chief deputy, where we just weren’t out there to do law enforcement work, but also to help and serve the people.”

The third thing that makes the department successful, Samaniego said, is its vision: “Serve the citizens, serve the agency and I take it as a personal responsibility to take care of you. That’s what I tell each and every person I offer a job to.”

Samaniego also has an open-door policy. He said many young members of the department come to him to talk about their future and ask for advice. He said he had some really good mentors as he was coming through the ranks, and he wants to provide that for others.

He and his wife, Shirley, will soon celebrate 30 years of marriage, and their daughter, Sophia, is a high school senior who will be 18 in April. Samaniego said one of the most important things that has carried him through his entire career, his “North Star,” is his faith as a practicing Catholic. 

Samaniego said he feels that service to his fellow man is his calling. His father used to say that he loved his job and would work until it was no longer fun. Samaniego, however, said his job is still fun every day. He has three more years in his current term, which ends in January 2027. 

“Part of my philosophy is, there comes a time for everyone to step aside and let the next person come up,” he said. “There will be a time when it’s time for me to step aside. I can't see myself not working when I retire. I might resurrect my old law degree, but I haven’t ruled out running again.”