HR306 Summary

• Commends Sergeant Joe Cotner of the Mobile Police Department as a nominee for the 2016 Alabama Legislative Medal of Honor for Law Enforcement, Alabama's highest law enforcement award for extraordinary courage in the line of duty.

• On March 2, 2015, Sergeant Cotner investigated reports of unsafe conditions and abuse at Saving Youth Foundation, a residential treatment center, discovering unsanitary living conditions, code violations, and systematic willful neglect and abuse by staff.

• Sergeant Cotner's investigation resulted in 36 children being rescued from the facility, three staff members being charged with 24 counts of Aggravated Child Abuse, and the facility being closed; his actions also prompted investigations of similar facilities in other states.

• Directs that Sergeant Cotner receive a copy of the resolution as evidence of the House of Representatives' admiration and esteem for his demonstrated courage, diligence, and commitment to protecting Mobile residents.