By Lanell Downs Smith

The Luverne Kiwanis Club hosted Luverne Police Captain Mason Adcock Tuesday at its first-Tuesday monthly meeting and caught a birds-eye view into the department tasked with providing safety services to the city.

Adcock began his career as a corrections officer, then worked in dispatch for the Town of Brantley. Now a 23-year veteran with the department, he came to the area as a rookie under then-chief Charles West, and settled in the area, calling Luverne his permanent home. 

“I spent a little time in Luverne and they sent me through the [police] academy,” Adcock said. “They took a chance on me and I didn’t disappoint. Later, Charles gave me another opportunity to work for him and spent the last eight years of his term as chief under him.”

The captain delivered information on department personnel, describing some of the ways the department serves local citizens and informing club members about openings in the department.

“I’ve seen times when there were just two patrol cars and about four officers for the whole town,” Adcock said. “We’re in wonderful shape now, as opposed to those days. We’ve got six full-time patrol officers, two part-time patrol officers, one investigator, a school resource officer who is our chaplain, the chief and myself. We’re four short right now, three on patrol and one investigator.”

Club members had time to ask questions, and wanted to hear more about officers’ service at sporting events. They also described situations were officers came to their aid and inquired about the requirements for becoming an officer with the department.

Kiwanians learned of a recent grant award for $200,000 which will help fund new patrol vehicles. Adcock described the satisfaction of serving his home community.

“I’m not from Crenshaw County, but I called this my home a long time ago,” he said. “There is a lot of satisfaction for a job done for our community, the people that mean something to us are the people of this town.”

He also offered tips for what residents should do to report an emergency situation.

“You’ve all heard this before, but if you see something, say something,” Adcock said. “No matter how good or how experienced our officers are… if the people sitting around this table don’t help us, we’re not getting anywhere. I want to encourage you to take a second look at what surrounds you and when something doesn’t seem right, please let us now.”

The Luverne Kiwanis Club meets the first and third Tuesday of each month for lunch at The Chicken Shack. Meetings begin at noon.

To learn more, visit one of the club’s regular meetings.

Photos by Lanell Smith