Longtime Corrections Deputy Pamela Laffitte Enters Mobile County Sheriff’s Race

Mobile, AL (BuzzReport) — Veteran law enforcement officer and retired corrections sergeant Pamela J. Laffitte has officially entered the race for Mobile County Sheriff, positioning herself as the sole Democratic candidate in a contest that will culminate in the November 3 general election.

Laffitte, a Democrat with more than 26 years of service in the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, will face the winner of the Republican primary scheduled for May 19. That primary pits incumbent Sheriff Paul Burch against former Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine, setting up a high-profile showdown before voters head to the polls in the fall.

Sheriff Burch has held the office since January 2023, following his election in November 2022. Prine, a familiar name in Mobile politics and law enforcement, most recently ran for mayor in the 2025 municipal election, where he finished third. He is now seeking a return to countywide law enforcement leadership through the sheriff’s race.

Laffitte brings a résumé rooted deeply in corrections, leadership, and military service. She retired as a Mobile County Corrections Sergeant, having spent the majority of her career overseeing detention operations and personnel. Her public service extends beyond the county level—Laffitte also served nearly 15 years in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, taking part in Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom.

Before joining the sheriff’s office, Laffitte worked as a public safety dispatcher in Prichard, gaining early frontline experience in emergency response. She completed formal leadership and law enforcement training at both the Alabama Jail Training Academy and the Southwest Alabama Police Academy, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business with an emphasis in Management from Faulkner University.

This is not Laffitte’s first foray into statewide politics. In 2022, she ran as the Democratic nominee for Alabama Secretary of State, broadening her public profile and experience on the campaign trail.

With the January 23 qualifying deadline now passed, the field for Mobile County Sheriff is set. Laffitte is unopposed in the Democratic primary, guaranteeing her a spot on the November ballot against the Republican nominee.

The general election will determine the future leadership of the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, an agency responsible for both law enforcement and corrections across the county. As the race unfolds, voters will be asked to choose between sharply different professional paths—and visions—for the role of the county’s top law enforcement official.