‘Bama Governor’s Security Chief Piles Up OT

The Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM — The head of Gov. Robert Bentley’s security detail has made $153,000 in salary and overtime so far this fiscal year, including $16,918 in August.

Al.com reported the pay for Wendell Ray Lewis through the first 11 months of the fiscal year puts him about $50,000 ahead of the pay for the head of the state Department of Public Safety through the same period.

Al.com reported that during the last four years on Bentley’s security detail, Lewis has made $580,000 because of the overtime he earns providing security.

Lewis runs the state’s Dignitary Protection Service, which uses state troopers from the Department of Public Safety. A department spokeswoman said security traveling with the governor regularly works 16-hour days.

The director of the Alabama Law Enforcement Planning Agency, Spencer Collier, said he has ended overtime for the protection detail while the process is reviewed.

Lewis moved up from sergeant to lieutenant last month. State Personnel Director Jackie Graham said it was done through a re-allocation, which can occur when an employee has been working at a higher level or rank for five years. The reallocation was recommended by Col. John Richardson, who was appointed by Bentley to be acting director of the Department of Public Safety in July.

The governor’s communications director, Jennifer Ardis, said Monday that Lewis has done an outstanding job leading the governor’s security detail, but “the governor is not responsible for pay or promotion decisions for agents assigned to his security detail.”

Categories: Local News, State News

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