Former Mobile Chief of Police launches campaign to become city’s next mayor

Arthur Mack

Former Mobile Chief of Police Paul Prine announced earlier this week that he is running to become the Port City’s next mayor. Prine is the seventh candidate to enter the race so far.

Following the announcement, he took no questions from the media but said his campaign will be based on three pillars.

“Number one, there has to be safety first,” Prine explained. “The men and women of the Mobile Police Department and Fire Department are the best, and they need to continue to get the equipment and resources, as well as all the other employees in the city.

“The second pillar is that we must work with the community and state, as well as community leaders, to ensure that all of our high schoolers in Mobile County have an opportunity to succeed. My vision is to create and implement a state-of-the-art career development center so that when our children enter the workforce, they’re prepared for good-paying jobs to take care of their families,” continued Prine.

“We all agree on the third pillar. Mobile has a lot of momentum. We must continue with economic development, but there has to be an emphasis on developing our waterfront. We have to work with all leaders to address homelessness and provide mental health treatment.”

Prine joins Connie Hudson, Spiro Cheriogotis, Barbara Drummond, Jermaine Burrell, Lawrence Battiste, and Steve Nodine as mayoral candidates in the Aug. 26 election.

Prine was fired as police chief in April 2024 after a clash with incumbent Mayor Sandy Stimpson and the city council. Prine has sued the city in federal court over his dismissal, claiming he was disparaged in an investigation of the use of force by former U.S. Attorney Kenyen Brown. Prine accused the Stimpson administration of wrongdoing in its handling of contracts related to the consulting firm 32z Insights, which the city hired to review Operation Echo Stop, an effort to reduce gun violence.

Courtesy of Call News