HONORING A LEGEND: JAMES C. MORGAN
BY HANNAH HERRERA
FOR THE LAFAYETTE SUN
CHAMBERS COUNTY — The name “James C. Morgan” already graces the brick exterior of the Chambers County Detention Facility. Soon it will grace the walls of the Alabama Peace Officers’ Hall of Fame.
Established by the Alabama Legislature in 1987, The Alabama Peace Officers’ Hall of Fame honors those “living or dead, who by achievement or service, have made outstanding and lasting contributions to law enforcement in Alabama.”
According to Lynn Shobe, chairman of the Alabama Peace Officers’ Association, the vote to induct Sheriff Morgan was unanimous.
“He is a legend in Alabama law enforcement. That’s cliche, but he was,” said Jay Jones, sheriff of neighboring Lee County.
An “Andy Griffith” type fellow who once released a perpetrator for Christmas on the promise he would come back, Morgan loved his community, and his community loved him.
“I’m always running into people that say, ‘Let me tell you this about your dad and how he helped me,’” said Sheriff Morgan’s son, James Morgan Jr. “He went out of his way a lot of times to help people and do things for them. Some of the things he did to help folks, it would be hard for some people to believe he actually did that.”
Born in 1927 in Tallapoosa County, Morgan grew up in a two-room house with his parents and siblings. According to his obituary, he worked in the cotton mill, in the pulpwood industry, as a mechanic and as a door-to-door milkman before beginning his career in law enforcement. During WWII, he served three years in the Navy. In 1962, he became a patrolman at the Camp Hill Police Department before being promoted to Chief of Police. In 1965, he was hired as LaFayette’s Chief of Police, and in 1970 was elected sheriff of Chambers County.
In his 24 years as sheriff, he left an indelible mark not only on LaFayette and Chambers County, but on the entire Alabama policing community.
Sheriff Jones said Morgan was a mentor to him, and for decades, was only a phone call away.
“He would take personal time to give me phone calls — just random calls, I pick up the phone and it’s Sheriff Morgan,” Jones said. “I had many conversations with him through the years, and every single time I learned something. That’s the kind of man he was. And I’m not the only one; I know I’m not. He did this for so many guys as sheriff, and after he retired, he would stay in contact and was just that type of person. He wanted to help us to do the job and do what we do in our careers and do it well.”
Jones spoke of Morgan’s skill in handling complex situations, his expertise honed through decades of service and the wisdom he generously gave out to young deputies. But what stands out above all was his character.
“He could be tough when he needed to be and extremely kind when the situation required it. He was personal. That’s what I admired in him as a sheriff,” Jones said. “He was a sheriff’s sheriff.”
Morgan passed away in 2016, but his legacy lives on. In 2023, LaFayette Main Street honored Morgan in their Portraits of Honor series. The nomination for the honor, written by Morgan’s children, reads: “We could fill up a book if we tried to list all the different committees and offices Dad served in during his law enforcement career, not to mention the numerous awards and recognition he received over the years.”
Morgan was a 33rd degree Mason, a Shriner, former president of the Alabama Sheriffs’ Association and the Alabama Peace Officers’ Association, faithful supporter of Valley Haven School and the Alabama Sheriffs’ Girls and Boys Ranches and member of LaFayette First Baptist Church, among other affiliations.
But despite his many achievements, “he was most proud of his children and his grandchildren,” the statement continues.
Today, his family honors his memory by spending time at their lakeside cabin, which has been in the Morgan line since the 60s. Morgan loved the outdoors, farming and gardening, and was almost as famous for his fish-cooking abilities as his police prowess.
His family said they enjoyed the induction ceremony on Nov. 6 at Faulkner University in Montgomery.
“We’re all real appreciative and [were] excited about getting to go to the ceremony,” James Morgan Jr. said. “It’s quite an honor to get inducted into the Alabama Peace Officers’ Hall of Fame. We’re just real humble and excited.”
