The City of Ozark is governed by a mayor and five city council members. Dale County is governed by a Commission Chairman and four commission members. Ozark is the county seat with the courthouse located in our historic downtown area. City and county leaders and our citizens share a great sense of community spirit and civic responsibility that make the area a great place to live a safe, enjoyable and comfortable life.
Ozark Police Department
The Ozark Police Department is staffed with a total of 60 men and women who dedicate themselves to the citizens of Ozark. The staff includes 36 sworn law enforcement officers, 12 reserve officers and 11 civilians.
The Ozark Police Department recently purchased a new records management system that assists law enforcement in such areas as crime reporting, case management, criminal and civil papers, sex offender registration, arrest reports, incident/offense reports, evidence tracking and data sharing.
The City of Ozark and the Ozark Police Department recently purchased more than 14 new police vehicles to replace a high mileage fleet of police vehicles. They have also enhanced the Community Police Program by including the following initiatives: women’s safety tips, positive ticket initiative, home safety for seniors and Ozark Youth Academy.
The Ozark Police Department is led by Chief Marlos Walker. Since becoming police chief, he has seen a reduction in violent crimes throughout the city. Chief Walker believes citizens and law enforcement must work together in order to have a safer community.
Ozark Fire Department
The Ozark Fire Department responds to an average of 1,800 calls per year, ranging from the smell of smoke to fully involved structure fires, medical and motor vehicle collisions.
The department delivers fire prevention, life safety, fire suppression and rescue services to residents and the community with an emphasis on response, training and education. Fire department services also include vehicle extrication, hazardous materials mitigation, confined space rescue, advanced life support emergency medical services, disaster response and fire life safety code enforcement.
Ozark currently staffs 49 professional firefighters and paramedics at four companies and three stations located throughout the city 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide constant services to residents, businesses and visitors. Three of these four companies are paramedic engine companies and provide a rapid response for both fire and medical calls throughout the city. The fourth company is a ladder company strategically located to provide rapid response to fire calls and motor vehicle collisions.
ISO is the criteria for evaluating the fire prevention and fire suppression capabilities for the individual communities. The City of Ozark is currently a rating of 3, allowing a lower insurance rating for our citizens.
The fire department is an extension of the Alabama Fire College and trains many outside departments, including DOD and technical rescue for all state fire departments.
The fire department also offers education for residents such as CPR classes, fire prevention tips, station tours and safety inspections.
In addition, the fire department is active in the community by providing medical support for special events and sporting events, and by participating in Relay for Life and Operation Santa Claus. The department also supports the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Salvation Army and the United Way.