Faces & Places 2024 — A Family Tradition: The Barnetts law enforcement roots stand in Thorsby

Story and photos by Carey Reeder

One family’s long commitment to law enforcement for generations has kept Rodney and Riley Barnett close to their roots in Chilton County serving their communities.

The story begins when Rodney sought a new career path at 37 years old after a career in masonry and chose to enter the police academy. He worked his way through the academy and was a short time away from graduation when he got a call about an opening at the Thorsby Police Department in Chilton County. Rodney got the job, and his career at TPD began.

Rodney’s son, Riley, would join his dad in the police cruiser to see firsthand what his father did on a daily basis. This new experience thrilled Riley, and a passion for wanting to follow in his father’s footsteps was ignited.

“It was a cool experience, and I was raised up around (law enforcement),” Riley said. “To get to be put inside a police car was a very good experience for me, and there are a lot of good memories for me from it.”

Riley’s own law enforcement career began as a reserve officer with TPD while he was a student at the University of Alabama. He graduated in 2009 with a degree in criminal justice, and that same year, Rodney became the Thorsby Police Chief. Rodney was on the road as a patrol officer for just five years before becoming police chief. It was unheard of at the time to be a police officer for five years and then become the police chief, but Rodney’s connection and respect amongst the Thorsby community allowed the quick rise. He believes it was more than him just working hard for it, but a divine power and a God thing that helped lead him to the position as well.

After graduation, Riley joined the Jemison Police Department and then worked as a patrol sergeant with the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office. While his experience goes a long way, Riley also believes a higher power helped guide him to this career path as well.

“Getting this experience here of riding in his patrol car and learning different things in college led me,” Riley said. “It was a God thing for me too, and I felt led to a career in law enforcement. I have always loved helping people and giving back to the community as much as I can, so I thought it was a good opportunity for me.”

In 2022, the Town of Maplesville needed a new police chief, and Riley threw his name in the running. Rodney loved hearing Riley applied for the position, and even more when he was named the new Maplesville Police Chief in July 2022.

“We could not have been prouder, and it was one of my proudest moments (in my life),” Rodney said.

Now, after two years in the same position in their respective communities right where their family has always called home for generations, they both reflect on how they got to where they are. Rodney said there have been two things he has learned to be true during his career — people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care, and what is important today is not nearly as important tomorrow. He learned those things early on in his career, but he said they still reign true today as well.

Riley echoed Rodney’s sentiments, and he said they both have learned to not take life for granted after seeing all of the tough scenes they have had to see over their years. The most rewarding moments for them are where they meet people again later on in life who they have arrested before, and those people shake their hand and thank them for affecting their life in a positive way.

“There is no better feeling in the world than that,” Riley said.

Rodney said the basic need of the community, and to protect and serve his own longtime community, are what gets him out of bed each morning. He takes pride in being able to help the Thorsby community in ways others cannot, like getting drunk drivers off the road, or getting the hard drugs off the streets.

“Beating down that fire a bit every day is my drive, and I do it because I took an oath, I do it for my family, I do it for God and I do it for the citizens of Thorsby,” Rodney said.

Riley is doing the same in Maplesville leading their unit of officers in keeping the citizens safe, and he is doing it based on everything he has learned from his dad.

“As a young man seeing him do this job and hearing about the stories, the arrests and all of the stuff (made me want to do it too). People in the community have the utmost respect for him because he has always treated everybody with respect,” Riley said. “My goal as police chief in Maplesville is to carry forward a legacy of service, leadership and commitment to protecting and serving my community just like he has done in Thorsby.”

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