Danny Reid
Danny Reid (born in Birmingham) is Director of the Pleasant Grove Department of Public Safety.
Reid began his law enforcement career as a dispatcher and 9-1-1 operator in 1993. He was sworn in as a Pleasant Grove police officer after completing training at the University of Alabama Law Enforcement Academy in 1995. He served as a patrol officer and as a narcotics investigator before being promoted to lieutenant on June 1, 2015. During his career, Reid has also completed degrees in criminal justice at Jefferson State Community College and UAB, and also earned a juris doctorate from the Birmingham School of Law.
Since that year, Reid has been involved in at least four controversial actions involving the rights of pregnant women through his enforcement of Act of Alabama No. 2006-204. In the first he sought to keep Alexandra Laird, a drug user who had violated the terms of her bail, imprisoned through the duration of her pregnancy. He said at the time, "I'm doing my damnedest to try to prevent any further damage to this child, since it's obvious the mother doesn't seem to care."
In another case, Raven West was charged with chemical endangerment when her newborn baby tested positive for heroin in 2015. She was released on bond to Aletheia House for treatment, but left and obtained more heroin, and miscarried another pregnancy. Reid argued for a sentence of up to 99 years for West. In May 2017 Reid subpoenaed medical records to confirm the pregnancy of Jessica Lynn Lindsey, who had been interviewed during a domestic disturbance call, and subsequently charged her with felony chemical endangerment.
In 2019 Reid testified before a grand jury that indicted Marshae Jones for manslaughter when she miscarried after being shot during an altercation in a parking lot. He argued that since she initiated the fight which resulted in the death of the unborn child, that she, rather than the shooter who fired in self-defense, should face charges. The indictment made national news. After reviewing the case, Jefferson County District Attorney Lynneice Washington withdrew the charges.
Reid served in the U.S. Army Reserve in special operations intelligence, and made multiple tours to Afghanistan and the Middle East during the Global War on Terrorism. He also served as a command jumpmaster for airborne operations. He retired with the rank of Major in 2020.
In December 2022 Reid was tapped to serve as acting chief. February 2023 Reid was promoted as permanent successor to long-time Director of Public Safety Robert "Corky" Knight.
References
- Robinson, Carol (November 7, 2016) "Mom who delivered stillborn after snorting heroin now criminally charged again." The Birmingham News
- Robinson, Carol (May 26, 2017) "Pregnant Pleasant Grove woman jailed, accused of shooting up heroin." The Birmingham News
- Yurkanin, Amy (June 27, 2019) "Woman charged over gunshot miscarriage not Pleasant Grove’s first case against pregnant women." The Birmingham News
- Robinson, Carol (July 3, 2019) "Marshae Jones will not be tried for manslaughter in unborn baby’s death, DA says." The Birmingham News
- Robinson, Carol (February 13, 2023) "Pleasant Grove names new public safety director." AL.com