The SPLC Action Fund announced endorsements Thursday for candidates running for sheriff in two Alabama counties: Brett Jones in Madison County and Pamela Laffitte in Mobile County.
Jones is a former Navy SEAL and a longtime Madison County resident who has served as a police officer in multiple jurisdictions across the county. His campaign centers on building a more transparent and accountable sheriff’s office by ensuring every death in custody receives an independent, public review and by implementing higher training standards for deputies. He has also championed the Miller Project, an initiative to break the cycle of recidivism through mental health evaluations, partnerships with recovery programs and support for people released from the Madison County Jail.
“Too often, our jails hold people who need treatment and support, not a cell,” Madison Hollon, senior program manager of political campaigns at the SPLC Action Fund, said. “Brett Jones is committed to making Madison County a model for humane, accountable law enforcement. His plan to connect those leaving jail with mental health care, recovery programs and mentorship is the type of comprehensive support that should be provided for those who have made mistakes to prevent reentry and build safer communities.”
In her bid for Mobile County sheriff, Laffitte has emphasized her years of leadership in public service and community advocacy. A retired Mobile County Sheriff’s Office corrections sergeant, Laffitte has also worked as a public safety dispatcher and served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve for more than a decade. She is a member of Project H.O.P.E., an initiative designed to assist people returning from incarceration, and has called for reducing unnecessary incarceration for low-level, nonviolent offenses through diversion, treatment, mental health services and reentry programs. She has also pledged to hold private contractors to clear standards of accountability and to use data to identify racial disparities in how the law is enforced.
“Pamela Laffitte recognizes that taxpayer dollars should never create an incentive for incarceration,” Hollon said. “She is willing to confront the financial incentives behind overincarceration and address the racial inequities in our criminal legal system head-on. Her approach will give residents of Mobile County a sheriff who is accountable to the people and who keeps communities safe without feeding a system that can harm people who truly just need support.”
Elections will be held November 3, 2026. Visit here to learn more about voting in Alabama.
