In 1960, Vestavia Hills marked a milestone in public safety as its police department grew from a one-man operation into a full-time, four-officer corps. Tasked with round-the-clock protection, the department symbolized the city’s progress and commitment to its residents just a decade after incorporation.
Led by Chief W. O. Haynes — a veteran with more than 30 years in law enforcement — the team patrolled in two new Ford police cars and a motorcycle, each equipped with radios tied to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department’s network. Officers Sam King, Bill Breneman and M. C. Bottom stood alongside Haynes in a now-historic photo, lined up proudly in front of their patrol vehicles outside headquarters…