HR321 Summary

• Honors Sheriff Joe Wheeler Patterson, a 96-year resident of Huntsville-Madison County who dedicated his life to public service.

• Recognizes Patterson's military service in the Korean War and his law enforcement career beginning in 1958 with the Huntsville Police Department, where he rose to Sergeant.

• Documents Patterson's election as Madison County Sheriff in 1978, serving four consecutive terms, and his graduation from the 77th Session of the FBI National Academy in 1966.

• Acknowledges Patterson's leadership as President of the Alabama Sheriffs Association in 1982, induction into the Alabama Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 1994, and his advocacy for the Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranches.

• Establishes a permanent legislative record honoring Patterson's decades of public service, character, compassion, and impact on the Huntsville-Madison County community.