By Staff
Melissa Cason
PHIL CAMPBELL – There's a new face in Phil Campbell. It can be seen all around town, in the stores, and on the streets. That new face is Wayne Mays and he is the newest addition to the Phil Campbell Police Department.
While Mays is a newcomer to Phil Campbell, he isn't a newcomer to law enforcement. He began his career in 1997 with the Hamilton Police Department, where he spent a little over nine years.
"My reason is just as corny as the next," Mays said. "I have family in law enforcement and it came along at the right time. I felt it was my calling."
Mays said he really wanted to help people and he believes he has over the years.
"Some people didn't like it when I came into their lives but others have come back and thanked me," Mays said.
After nine years of service in Hamilton, Mays took a short break from law enforcement. He began working on an Internet site, which is still online.
"It's like a homepage for Hamilton," he said. "We have a little bit of news, weather and links to other sites. We don't really have sports, but we are trying to get that going."
Mays website turned into a business from a hobby.
"It's a little more than a hobby now," he said. "It's been going for two years now. We have ads on the site that pays for the site."
After only a few short months out of law enforcement, Mays began working part time in Guin, and he continues to work on a part time basis now.
"I work on Sunday mornings until 4 p.m. and I come in here at 10 p.m.," he said. "Needless to say Sundays are long days."
Since coming to Phil Campbell, Mays has been welcomed with open arms.
"Everyone is so nice here," he said. "Usually when you come to a new town, especially since I live out of town, your treated like an outsider. It's not like that here."
Mays said he looks forward to getting to know everyone better in Phil Campbell and he likes the slower pace smaller towns have to offer.
"I haven't gotten lost yet," he said. "I don't really expect to, but if I do, I have my GPS to help me."