DOHAN: As the clock strikes midnight tonight (March 1, 2025) it will begin the 4th year of Will Benny serving as Dothan Police Chief.
On the retirement of Steve Parrish on March 1, 2021, the Honorable Alabama Supreme Court Justice Brad Mendheim administered the Oath of Office to Will Benny as Dothan’s Top Cop.
Today, with 30 years of service with the Dothan Police Department, beginning as a Corrections Officer, rising through the ranks, Will Benny leads a police force of about 208 sworn police officers, plus a large support staff, corrections staff, 911 Center Communications Staff, Animal Control Staff, the City of Dothan – Houston County Communications District Board and Radio Shop staff. And I am probably missing some.
The training center ground was broken under Steve Parrish’s tenure as Dothan Police Chief. With the Wiregrass Training Center being reality today, Chief Will Benny has worked to enhance and be proactive in the training of law enforcement officers. With Dothan having been told NO before on a Regional Police Academy at the Wiregrass Training Center by the State of Alabama APOST, Chief Benny would not accept that answer. So he went to work and developed a proactive plan. Today, the City of Dothan Wiregrass Training Center has its own Regional Police Academy. To date, this Dothan Police Academy has graduated a significant number of law enforcement officers for the City of Dothan and surrounding agencies.
Chief Will Benny fought to increase the Dothan Police force. In the three years Chief Benny has led the department, some 181 law enforcement officers rose to 208. Each year the force is to increase, and to my memory, within the next years another 5 additional officers are expected to join the team. Chief Benny has fought to get the starting pay and the pay for those already employed up so the City of Dothan is very competitive in recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers and staff. During his tenure he has not only cared and fought for the officers on the street, but those in all divisions and support areas.
Chief Benny will be quick to tell you this could only be accomplished with a supportive City Manager, Mayor and Associate Commissioners. They have all been very supportive when he presents a detailed plan and the benefits of that plan.
Chief Will Benny is very technologically-minded in growing the department’s technology. A lot of technological advances have been made within the department to assist the officers in combatting crime. Most of those RSN will not disclose, but we have witnessed some of those advances. Chief Benny is always looking at what can he do to better assist the officers of the department in their service and protection of the citizens and guests of Dothan. And Chief Benny is always mindful of his decisions and how those decisions affect the lowest in rank to the top of the rank of the department. He has cut a lot of bureaucratic red tape that someone in government came up with that was burdensome and not really serving a useful purpose. Chief Benny even got Dothan a “ghetto bird” as some call it – but a partnership with Wiregrass Aviation Support Program helicopter that asists Dothan Police Department in the performance of their job.
You do not see Chief Will Benny out front beating his chest about “look what I am doing.” He very quietly goes about the management of the department. His command staff, Major and Captains, are always working on different projects. Those projects are designed to serve the citizens and increase the safety of the citizens and the men and women who serve and place their lives on the line. Chief Will Benny takes very personally when someone assaults one of his officers and always wants each one of them to go home safe each day. Chief Benny personally handwrites birthday cards, addresses them and sends them to the officers. When he knows of something special their children do, he sends a personal letter to their family members in recognition of the special achievement.
Chief Benny does not want recognition. He just wants to put bad guys in jail and keep his team safe. He is very proud of the men and women of the department and their dedicated work in fighting crime. This weekend was an example of the department’s skill: the solving of a missing person, determining it was a murder, developing the suspect quickly, and the arrest of the suspect, the husband, as being responsible for the murder.
It is not unusual to see Chief Benny come into Patrol Division briefings. And he walks in, sits down next to the officers, listening to the briefing and interacting with the officers.
A lot of other things to include Dothan getting, once again, a Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences Lab in Dothan. Having had one years ago, Chief Benny and Sheriff Valenza recognized the long waits to lab analysis and the need for the drug lab. Ironically Dothan got one under “daddy” Mayor Alfred Saliba and now under “son” Mayor Mark Saliba Dothan is once again getting a Forensic Lab.
Congratulations as you begin your fourth year as Chief of Police for the City of Dothan. Thank you for your love of Dothan and passion for good law enforcement and the protection of the men and women of Dothan Alabama to work, live and play.
DOTHAN-GENEVA COUNTY: Last evening Geneva County Sheriff Department along with Dothan Police Department and Geneva County Coroner Donny Adkinson were on the scene where a Dothan murder victim’s body was found.
On Tuesday around 7:30 PM, February 25, 2025, the body of Gloria Miller was found in a dry creek bed under a bridge about 1 mile inside Geneva County on County Road 68. Geneva County Coroner Donny Adkinson reports the body was located by law enforcement.
This is a murder case, and the body of Ms. Miller will be transported to Montgomery to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for examination.
Ms. Miller was last seen on February 22, 2025 outside her residence in the 2600 block of Hall’s Mill Road in Dothan. Dothan Police initiated a investigation.
Some of Ms. Miller’s belongings were located at or near the old Porter Square Mall on West Main Street in Dothan. On Monday the WASP (Wiregrass Aviation Support Program) helicopter was seen flying over downtown Dothan and the Porter Square Mall area in search for Ms. Miller.
The Dothan Police Criminal Investigation unit, under the command of Dothan Police Lt. Ronald Hall, has had all hands on deck by orders of Dothan Police Chief Will Benny in the investigation.
A suspect was located and taken into custody. And law enforcement later located the body inside Geneva County.
Dothan Police booked Stephen Craig Miller, Sr., age 64, into the Dothan City Jail last evening around 8:00 PM, and he is charged with Murder – Domestic Violence. Miller will be transported to Houston County Jail. All felonies have to be booked into the County Jail and the cases are in the Houston County Court system.
Dothan Police are expected to release more details.
DOTHAN POLICE RELEASE:
On Monday night, February 24, 2025, Stephen Miller Sr. reported that his wife, Gloria Miller, suddenly disappeared from their home on Halls Mill Road during the afternoon hours of Saturday, February 22, 2025. The Dothan Police Department began investigating this report as a missing persons case.
During the early stages of the investigation several indicators of foul play were discovered. On Monday, before the report was made by Stephen, some of Gloria’s personal property was found in the parking lot of a local shopping center in Dothan. The investigation revealed Stephen was the person who placed the property at that location just hours before it was found and turned into one of the local businesses.
Investigators worked to determine the whereabouts of Gloria and the circumstances of her disappearance. During the investigation, Stephen admitted that on Saturday he and Gloria had a physical altercation during which time he admitted to manually strangling her until she was lifeless.
Investigators located Gloria’s body approximately one mile inside Geneva County on Geneva County Road 68 in a dry creek bed underneath a bridge. Her body has been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery, AL for an autopsy.
Stephen Craig Miller Sr., 64 years old of Dothan, has been charged with one count of Murder. His bond has been set at $1.5 Million.
The Dothan Police Department would like to thank the Houston County Sheriff’s Department, the Geneva County Sheriff’s Department and the Geneva County Coroner’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.
Our condolences and prayers go out to the family of Gloria Miller.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please reach out to your local law enforcement office or domestic violence resource center. In Dothan call 334-615-3000 for police, 334792-5314 for the House of Ruth or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or you can text “START” to 88788.
Chief William E. Benny
Dothan PD
UPDATED @ 08:42 AM
The suspect is the husband of the victim. His Facebook. Stephen C. Miller, 1 day ago, a post which reads: URGENT REQUEST. MISSING: MY WIFE GLORIA MILLER WAS LAST SEEN SATURDAY AFTERNOON FEBRUARY 22, 2025 SHE WAS LAST SEEN AT 2629 HALLS MILL RD FROM DOTHAN ALABAMA . IF ANYONE HAS SEEN HER OR KNOWS HER WHEREABOUTS PLEASE CALL ME. STEPHEN MILLER 1-334-648-1295 HER SISTER DEBRA WHITAKER 229-254-4682 CELL. SHE IS BLOND WITH SHOULDER LENGTH HAIR, HAZEL EYES, 5’5″, MAYBE WEARING JEANS AND AN AUBURN SWEATSHORT POSSIBLY.”
Miller is in the Dothan City Jail for Murder – Domestic Violence.
GRIMES: RSN was a witness to Napier Field Police Officer Sanders sticking his finger in the face of Grimes Mayor Jackie Kirkland and making threats.
NAPIER FIELD OFFICER SANDERS, YOU HAVE ALREADY PROVEN YOUR IGNORANCE OF THE LAW. AND IGNORANCE OF THE LAW IS NO EXCUSE !!!
There was a traffic accident at the intersection of Napier Field Road (Hwy. 112) and Parramore Road. This location is within the 1.25 square miles of Grimes City Limits. Napier Field Police Officer Sanders called out on the radio with the traffic accident. Midland City Police responded to work the traffic accident because the Town of Grimes contracts with Midland City to handle their law enforcement duties.
The contract at one time was with Napier Field, but it was changed because Grimes was not satisfied with the performance of Napier Field Police. However, Napier Field Police have refused to cease and attempts to continue to work Hwy. 112 and areas of both Grimes City Limits and Dothan City Limits.
Grimes Mayor Jackie Kirkland approached Napier Field Police Officer Sanders advising him this accident was in the city limits of Grimes, saying Midland City Police Department handles the law enforcement for the Town of Grimes. RSN was sitting on the sidelines watching everything and witnessed the Napier Field Police Officer Sanders putting his finger in the face of Mayor Kirkland. Later in conversation with Mayor Kirkland, she stated Officer Sanders threatened her with arrest if she did not get off “his” scene.
Mayor Kirkland walked back across the road, and moments later Napier Field Officer Sanders walked back across the road where the Midland City Police Officer was, along with additional accident victims and Mayor Kirkland. The Midland City Police Officer told Sanders that this was Midland City’s accident and he was working it. Napier Field Police Officer Sanders said, no, he was working the accident. About that time the Napier Field Police Officer received a phone call. Following the call, Sanders told the Midland City Police Officer he was turning the accident over to him and leaving, and he left.
The Midland City Police Officer then made a report of the threat made to the Grimes Mayor in the Town of Grimes in the event the Grimes Mayor wishes to swear out arrest warrants for Napier Field Police Officer Sanders for the threat.
A smaller law enforcement agency has 1.5 miles of police jurisdiction beyond their city limits, while larger departments, such as Dothan, have 3 miles of police jurisdiction outside their city limits. The officers can make arrest anywhere in the state, but the case must be placed in the court of jurisdiction. Napier Field has made arrests in the Dothan City limits and Grimes City limits placed the cases in the Napier Field Municipal Court.
While the areas are within the 1.5 miles of police jurisdiction, here’s the question that I have been unable to get a definitive answer to: what if the 1.5 miles goes into another city limits? The Town of Napier Field is only 0.3 square miles, while the Town of Grimes is 1.25 square miles. For Napier Field to reach Grimes, they have to cross Dothan City Limits. So far, no legal authority has been able to provide RSN with the legal answer to the question.
But Napier Field Police needs to understand, clearly, the Town of Grimes has contracted, legally, with Midland City Police Department to handle the law enforcement within the corporate city limits of Grimes. And I am one million percent positive that the City of Dothan has never contracted with and will never contract with Napier Field Police for law enforcement work within the city limits of Dothan.
DOTHAN-HOUSTON COUNTY: Houston County Commissioners D1 Curtis Harvey, D2 Doug Sinquefield, D3 Ricky Herring and D4 Brandon Shoupe voted to sell the Houston County Farm Center back in December 2021 to a Florida investor for $2 million. This issue surfaced without warning or knowledge to local potential investors.
RSN then found where the City of Dothan owned 16% of the some 40 acres of the Houston County Farm Center. This was a problem to the Houston County Commission. Despite their vote to sell the Farm Center, without the approval of the Dothan City Commission, it mattered not how the current sitting Houston County Commissioners voted on the sale.
This sale concerned all of the Dothan Commissioners, to include but not limited to D3 Dothan Commissioner Bradley Bedwell. It is District 3 where the Houston County Farm Center sits, and no one knew the plans of the Florida investor.
So the great minds on the Dothan Commission began working in what I would call one of the smartest and greatest surprise moves held at a Dothan Commission Meeting ever. In a surprise move, D4 Dothan Commissioner John Ferguson motioned to add to the agenda the purchase of the Houston County Farm Center. The motion was quickly seconded by D5 Commissioner Gantt Pierce. The motion passed.
D5 Commissioner Gantt Pierce is a practicing attorney. He then pulled a physical copy of the resolution out for the Dothan Commission to purchase the Houston County Farm Center from the Houston County Commission. Then-Dothan City Attorney Freddie Len White was in shock because he had no part in the preparation of the resolution. However D5 Gantt Pierce is a better lawyer, in my opinion then was Freddie Len White. The move caught everyone off guard. Except some of the commissioners to include D3 Bradley Bedwell. With the move of the commission it made D3 Bedwell feel better about the protection of District 3. The motion passed for the City of Dothan to purchase the Houston County Farm Center. This was March 2022.
The move of D4 Commissioner John Ferguson and D5 Commissioner Gantt Pierce, supported by other Commissioners, was probably the greatest move in the local government that I myself have witnessed. And all done to protect the City of Dothan/Houston County landscape of the prime 40-acre piece of property.
Come November 2022, longtime Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver retired, D2 Houston County Commissioner Doug Sinquefield did not seek re-election, D4 Houston County Commissioner was elected Chairman of Houston County Commission, with James Ivey taking over the position in District 4, and D2 Tracy Adams was elected to fill the vacancy from Doug Sinquefield. Realizing the lack of wisdom of their votes as commissioners in 2021, D1 Curtis Harvey, D3 Commissioner Ricky Herring and now Chairman Brandon Shoupe started re-thinking the sale of the 40-acre Farm Center and what could be done. Plans began about what to do with the property. But the first obstacle was seeking the City of Dothan to cancel their purchase of the Farm Center.
On May 2, 2023, in a 4 to 3 vote, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, D4 John Ferguson, D5 Gantt Pierce and D6 David Crutchfield voted to cancel the purchase of the Houston County Farm Center. D1 Commissioner Kevin Dorsey, D2 Commissioner Aristotle Kirkland and D3 Commissioner Bradley Bedwell voted against the purchase cancellation. D3 Commissioner Bradley Bedwell voiced concern with “the county in the driver’s seat, if it’s going to continue to be an eye sore, is it going to be maintained, I haven’t really gotten the answers to those yet… Other than it’s going to be in the county’s hands.”
D5 Dothan Commissioner Gantt Pierce stated “When we work in tandem, we can achieve great things and prospects we might have.”
Houston County began making moves. The Houston County Water Authority was moved to a building on South Oates Street from the building they occupied. Plans were drawn and bids for changes to the Farm Center dome. Bids taken and came in at $4.6 million. A new roof has been installed on the Farm Center dome and the sides removed. Work is underway to make a 39,000 square foot open space for such things as a Farmer’s Market. Other plans are in the works to get rid of other eyesores. Property was purchased on Prevatt Road to move the Houston County Department of Human Resources. The county is mandated by law to also furnish office space for DHR.
But it was the vision of the members of the Dothan Commission, the legal knowledge of D5 Commissioner Gantt Pierce, the experience of Dothan Senior Commissioner D4 John Ferguson, the desire of D3 Commissioner Bradley Bedwell to protect his district and the support of the entire Dothan Commission which saved the Houston County Farm Center.
NEW BROCKTON: 07:30 AM The Coffee County Sheriff Deputy assigned to New Brockton Elementary School all of a sudden came over the radio saying, “open the door – open the door”.
A person had struck the Coffee County Sheriff Deputy patrol vehicle with their vehicle. Deputies and New Brockton Police began responding when the School Deputy requested EMS and Fire, as the driver was alert but unresponsive.
Coffee County Sheriff Scott Byrd, Coffee County Sheriff Chief Deputy Michael Hines, others with Coffee County Sheriff Department and New Brockton Police responded. Enterprise Rescue and New Brockton Volunteer Fire Department responded.
The driver was transported by Enterprise Rescue to Medical Center Enterprise for treatment. New Brockton Police are working the accident.
NO STUDENTS WERE IN DANGER and as of this writing it appears a medical issue caused the person to strike the law enforcement vehicle.
COFFEE COUNTY: 2:11 PM Coffee County 911 dispatched Elba Fire, Enterprise Rescue, Elba Police and Coffee County Sheriff Deputies to a gunshot.
The location was 131 Tiger Drive in Elba. This is the Elba Board of Education. The reports to Coffee County 911 intially were a person appeared to be asleep in a vehicle. When units arrived it was quickly determined there was a gunshot wound and the person was deceased.
Coffee County Sheriff Scott Byrd, Coffee County Sheriff Criminal Investigators, Elba Police, Coffee County Coroner Arnold Woodham, Coffee County – Pike County District Attorney James Tarbox responded to the scene and the investigation started. Some questionable materials were found on the scene.
Elba Fire Department was on the scene. The materials found caused the Elba Fire Department to mutual aid request Dothan Police Bomb Squad and Dothan Fire Department Haz Mat Team to respond to the scene.
About 4:44 PM the bomb team began their approach into the scene to check the materials found. What the exact materials found to cause alarm are not known at this time but scene investigators used caution.
The investigation into the gunshot death was found to be self inflicted and an apparent suicide. The name has not been released and RSN does not normally cover suicide deaths. However the location and the need for bomb team and haz mat response is why this is covered.
The investigation continues into all of the facts and circumstances and what caused the apparent self inflicted gunshot wound.
But to the citizens, students and faculty of the school system there is not reason for any alarm.
