Roy Spann of the Springville Police Department is pictured here with his dog, Sarge. Spann will retire officially from the department in February.
“I never really intended to work there that long,” he says. “But I didn’t want to go back to work in the steel mill, so I just, I toughed out the low pay.”
Spann — a decorated veteran as well as a longtime public servant — plans to retire in February, the end of a long career that’s included stops in Springville as well as Moody.
“I’ve worked through four mayors, three police chiefs,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of changes, some for the good, some for the bad.”
A native of Birmingham, the 62-year-old Spann came to Springville while serving part time with the White’s Chapel police force, as well as working in a steel mill.
“I can tell you some of the people – Ed Brasher, from Pell City, worked there (White’s Chapel) with us,” he said. “Tim Allie, who just retired from the county, he was there with us.
“Tim had gone to Springville and then transferred to Pell City, and I took his place. He called me one day and said there was gonna be a job opening in Springville. So I started in Springville.”
Spann was one of three officers serving the city when he started there in 1987. After two years, he said, the department upgraded to four.
“And it stayed a four-man police department, for roughly 14 years I was there,” he said. “Then when Chief Black became chief, he managed to start hiring more people. It progressed on up to 14, which is what they got now.”
Spann, who has three daughters and three grandchildren, says his family is glad to see him step away.
“They’re glad to see me get out of it,” he said. “Especially, here lately, with all the police officers that’s been getting killed and everything — my wife, she’s really got a little bit more protective in thinking about it. She was glad that I decided to step out.
“I’ll miss standing behind the badge and what it stands for. But I won’t miss the political apparatus that makes it tick. That’s what’s gotten kind of bad.”
Spann says he’s developed a close relationship with city clerk Brenda Roberts, who recently announced her intention to retire from the city this spring.
“She, of all the employees that work there, will be the one I miss the most, the one I miss working with,” he said.
He also says he doesn’t intend to stay inert in retirement.
“I belong to the Blue Knights Organization, the police officers’ motorcycle organization,” he said. “We have a lot of other members there in Springville; it’s based in Springville. And I spend a good bit of time with that organization.
“I’m a member of the Military Order of Purple Hearts, and I’ll spend a good bit of time with that organization. I belong to the Masonic lodge there in Springville, I’m a Master Mason there.
“I’ve got plenty of things to keep my mind occupied. Plus, I got two Harleys, and I’ll be riding those quite a bit when it gets warm weather.”
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