News Releases

Chief Barber Reacts to Recent Repeat-Offender Paroles

Jan 27th, 2015

On October 1, 2014, Chief James Barber wrote a letter to the State of Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles expressing appreciation for their notification that Don Madison Waldrop, a "prolific burglar," was eligible for parole on October 29, 2014. Chief Barber went on to advise the Board that Waldrop "has logged more than 65 bookings in our jail" and he "preys upon the citizens of our city." Waldrop received parole.

On January 15, 2015, Waldrop was arrested and charged with Burglary Third Degree, Unlawful Breaking and Entering and Filing a False Police Report. On the day of the arrest, Chief Barber stated "It's incredibly frustrating, for me, it's incredibly frustrating to the victims of crime and frustrating to the detectives that have to work the crime that are dealing with the same offender over and over again."

On January 22, 2015, District Attorney Ashley Rich's office responded to the Alabama Department of Corrections' letter for consideration of placement of repeat offender Travis Douglas Kennedy into a work release program. Kennedy, 22 years old, was granted Youthful Offender status for prior illegal acts and given a chance to turn his life around. Instead, he was arrested again after he broke into a home occupied by a mother and her six children in the middle of the night and stole her vehicle from the driveway.

This work release placement would end Kennedy's sentence with no probation and no parole — only five months into a 15-year sentence. Chief Barber stated he is "outraged at the thought of letting this criminal back into our community." Barber further stated he stands behind the D. A.'s letter, which stated Kennedy "should be kept in prison and not afforded any further leniency" and "be held accountable for his actions."

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Ashley H. Rains
Public Affairs
Public Information Office