By J.R. TIDWELL / Editor

The members of the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Deputy program are holding a Boston butt fundraiser through June 21.

The cost will be $30 pre-paid for each medium-sized butt preordered. Each order will come with a free bottle of Wright’s Peach Chipotle BBQ Sauce, which originates right here in Chilton County.
Orders must be made by June 21. Pickup will be on July 3 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Chilton County Jail, located at 301 City St. in Clanton.

To make a preorder, call 205-294-5356, 205-910-3757 or contact any member of the reserve deputy program.

Funds raised from the sale will go towards purchasing necessary equipment for training that all reserve deputies obtain.

“The reserve deputies volunteer all of their time,” said program board member Rachel Harmon. “They do all of the things our deputies do for nothing in the hopes of eventually going through (an) officer academy. They have to supply all of their own equipment like their gun and belt.

“In the past they have even had to purchase their own polo shirts and get them embroidered so they can go on patrol. One of the things we are trying to raise money to be able to supply them with is uniform shirts. We want to give people more incentive to join the program.”

Reserve deputies go through training that is as close to real life as possible while staying safe.

One of the items the program seeks to purchase with money raised by the sale are simulation paintball rounds used during training.

Harmon said the reserve deputies receive this training, “so they know how to react to different situations.”

“(The training) gives them an idea of what they are in for and gives the Sheriff’s Office a chance to see how they might perform.”

Reserve deputy Kyle Gray, who has been in the program for a few years, said members of the program who want to attend a police academy have to have a sponsor. He said sponsors, such as CCSO, will send potential recruits to an academy when they feel to person is ready.

“We have to go through a minimum of 16 hours a month of training for a year before they will sponsor you,” Gray said. “That lets you see if you really want to do (the job), and it lets them see what you can do.”