In a news conference in Selma on Monday, Green announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in Senate District 23. Veteran state Sen. Hank Sanders, D-Selma, represents the district but said earlier this year he would not seek re-election.Green, 54, has been police chief in Northport for three years. Mayor Bobby Herndon said he did not know about Green’s decision until the day of his announcement. “It sort of caught me off-guard,” Herndon said.
Green said he can serve as police chief and campaign for the Senate at the same time, but said if elected he would resign as police chief. “There certainly will have to be discussions about the operations of the Police Department during any campaign period and making sure that it runs in a manner that continues to benefit the city of Northport,” he said.
District 23 covers about half of the western part of Alabama’s Black Belt and includes parts or all of Autauga, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Lowndes, Marengo, Monroe and Perry counties. Geographically, it is one of the largest, if not the largest, Senate district in the state. Green has had an ongoing disagreement with the city of Northport in recent months. In May, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission notified Northport that Green had filed a racial discrimination complaint against the city. That complaint was rooted in a disagreement over Green’s use of a seized BMW.
In June, Green was disciplined after city officials determined that he retaliated against a Police Department employee. Details of Green’s actions have not been disclosed because the offense related to personnel issues. However, the chief’s actions — as well as his defense — are expected to be discussed during the disciplinary hearing, which is open to the public. That hearing is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Aug. 27.
