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By Fred Guarino
The Lowndes Signal

The Town of White Hall has an acting police chief.

At last Thursday’s regular monthly meeting, the White Hall Town Council appointed Wilbert Barnfield, a deputy with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and husband of White Hall Council member Joyce Barnfield, as acting police chief.

Wilbert Barnfield said the town of White Hall sent him for training at the Montgomery Police Academy in 1995 to become a certified officer.

He is a resident of White Hall, who has served as a drug task force commander in Lowndes, Crenshaw and Butler counties and who is a currently a deputy with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office.

Barnfield said he came back to work for the White Hall Police Department when they were short on personnel.

“It gives me the opportunity to rebuild the trust of the citizens of White Hall that they will have comfort knowing that they do have police protection,” Barnfield said.

He said if the citizens have any concerns, anything missing, reports will be made and incidents will be investigated.

According to White Hall Mayor James Walker, former Police Chief Tony M. Bufford did not submit a resignation, but, “He just came to turn all his stuff in and left.”

The council tabled action to appoint an acting fire chief for the White Hall Volunteer Fire Department until the candidate for the position could be present.

Walker asked council members to submit names for prospective water board members though May 20.

He also said a petition requesting that Governor Robert Bentley expand Medicaid in Alabama can be signed by citizens at town hall through May 29.

Council member Audrey Peterson was absent from Thursday’s council meeting.