Editing Hanceville, Alabama (section)

==Police department scandal==
On February 19, 2025, Cullman County's district attorney and sheriff announced a sweeping indictment of the Hanceville police chief, four other officers, and an officer's wife on drug distribution counts and other charges. The grand jury cited a culture of corruption so prevalent in the department that it recommended that the police force be disbanded. Its findings followed an investigation into the drug-induced death of a police department employee in August 2024. The probe discovered, among other concerns, that the department's staff had "unfettered access" to the evidence room, where "nothing was secure." On February 20, 2025, the mayor of Hanceville announced the immediate suspension of all police department employees and said law enforcement responsibilities would be turned over to the sheriff's office until further notice.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cullman County Sheriff's Office to take over policing in Hanceville following arrests of chief, other officers |url=https://www.rocketcitynow.com/article/news/local/cullman-county-sheriffs-office-to-take-over-policing-in-hanceville-following-arrests-of-chief-other-officers/525-ef44a9ef-1bc7-4ecb-9550-11589632355c}}</ref><ref name="ABC 19 Feb 2025">{{cite news |last1=Deliso |first1=Meredith |title=Grand jury recommends Alabama police department be 'immediately abolished' |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/hanceville-alabama-police-department-officers-indicted-grand-jury-abolish/story?id=118989336 |access-date=21 February 2025 |publisher=ABC News |date=19 February 2025}}</ref>

As a result of the corruption suspicions, 58 felony cases were dismissed by a [[grand jury]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Nearly 60 cases dismissed due to corruption in Alabama police department | first=Safiyah | last=Riddle| website=Alabama Daily News | url=https://aldailynews.com/nearly-60-cases-dismissed-due-to-corruption-in-alabama-police-department/ | access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref>