CULLMAN, Ala. – On Jan. 14, 2023, a new district attorney will be sworn in to represent Cullman County and the State of Alabama. Local attorney and DA-Elect Champ Crocker started his journey in student government in Cullman County as a teen and said he is excited and ready to serve the needs of his community.
“I grew up in Vinemont, Alabama, the youngest of three children, and my parents were the late Dr. Larry Crocker, a general surgeon in Cullman who died in 1997, and my mother Dianne, who is still living in Vinemont,” Crocker said. “I grew up on County Road 1354, at the end of Childhaven Road. Back then, Cullman was not like it is now. The growth and infrastructure was something we didn’t experience and are blessed by now. Vinemont will always be a special place to me.”
Crocker said he went to Vinemont Elementary and stayed there through junior high before going to St. Bernard for high school where he was active in student government and continued playing sports until he graduated in 1994.
“In college, I majored in political science and got my bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt,” Crocker said. “I graduated in 1998, and Nashville has changed a lot in the last 20 years, too. Vanderbilt is also where I met my wife, Emily. When I was in college, my father died in November of my senior year- and that was the situation in which I had to finish growing up really fast.”
Crocker said he knew he wanted to go to law school and be in the courtroom and he decided that he would go immediately to law school after college.
“I did a lot with trial competition teams and competed all around the country while in Cumberland Law School, which is at Samford University,” Crocker shared. “I graduated in 2001 and took the bar exam in July of 2001. I went to work at St. John & St. John law firm here in Cullman and practiced there for four years and I handled a variety of law cases.”
In November 2005, Crocker said, he decided to open his own private practice in Cullman.
“I stayed at the law office I am at now and operated it until the close of the firm in December of 2022,” Crocker said. “I started thinking seriously about this district attorney’s office position in 2021 in the spring and summer — then I started discussing it with family and close friends.”
He said he felt it became a calling.
“I made the decision in August of 2021,” Crocker said. “I was at church in Atlanta for a weekend with my family and we attended First Baptist Church on a Sunday morning. While sitting there in a pew, I felt the calling to run and had a great peace about it. When we were walking out of church that day with my wife and kids, the decision was made and I would be running in the 2022 election cycle for Cullman County’s district attorney.”
The Tribune asked Crocker how he learned to juggle a business, family and campaigning for office.
“I learned how to cut back on sleep,” Crocker laughed. “I started burning the candle at both ends. Running for public office involves so much. In terms of your time and going places, there is so much behind-the-scenes work to be done. I quickly learned, if I’m going to a campaign event, I still had my job, family, coaching my kids’ ball teams and more to be done. There was tons of work that people didn’t see.”
Crocker said he spoke at well over 100 events after announcing his candidacy.
“People appreciated someone being present and having someone listen to them,” he said. “Public officials are accountable to the people we serve. One of the main issues I talked about was transparency. They want to see us in their communities and know that we are taking note of their concerns. An example, Dodge City and Holly Pond aren’t facing the same concerns and neither are West Point and Cullman so it’s important to be there and be present. How someone campaigns shows a lot of how someone will govern. I will plan to be out just as much during my time as district attorney as I was campaigning for that position.”
Crocker said his family was extremely supportive during the campaign and is excited about his new role.
“My family has been very supportive and never hesitated to go out to places and events with me. Emily, Henry is 13 and Charles who is 7 years old, have all been in this with me. My kids have handled this very well for their ages. My oldest understands government and elections from his education and real-life observation. My 7-year-old has a different look,” he laughed, “but has done well.”
Crocker said he wants the district attorney’s office to be the best “law firm” in town.
“There is a difference because the law firm is a business and the DA’s office is a service, but it should operate like a law firm and we have one client and that is the State of Alabama while serving this community,” Crocker said. “My predecessor and judges have spoken about a backlog of court cases waiting for me when I take office. Well, we will hit the ground running. We are thinking outside the box and going to tackle this backlog and get to work.”
Of the relationship between local law enforcement and the district attorney’s office, there is one thing to remember– the DA is the chief law enforcement official in the county.
“The DA is the only lawyer in the courtroom who is sworn to do justice,” Crocker said. “It’s very important to remember what the oath of office says – I certainly will. We are sworn to do justice. We are blessed in Cullman County to have the law enforcement officers that we do. There is a connection in our community with law enforcement that you don’t see everywhere. Our law enforcement officers are represented at every event and are available when people need them. They work very hard and we have a mutual respect between citizens and law enforcement officers and keep that between the DA’s office and the public as well. One of the things we are planning on doing is having a volunteer program and there are going to be different projects. I am very excited about this and will have more to offer about that after taking office.”
This summer, Crocker appointed a transition team. He has also met with Sheriff Matt Gentry and Police Chief David Nassetta to discuss their plans., as well as DAs from across the state and Alabama Attorney Steve Marshall and members of Marshall’s staff.
“I met with local victims’ rights advocates for our plans for victim services, at the request of the family of a local murder victim. I sent a letter as an individual and that offender’s parole was denied. I plan to be active in monitoring parole dates,” Crocker said. “In July, we visited the southern border to see the strain that drugs and illegals are putting on our local and federal law enforcement.”
Crocker also attended two week-long training workshops and created sessions to move to an electronic warrant process for law enforcement.
“Who you elect as DA will have more of a practical impact on your quality of life than any other elected official. That’s not to take away from other officials— but the DA has to hold the line of crime, and what is and is not acceptable,” Crocker said. “Look what’s going on in some of our cities around the U.S. I believe the DA can affect the quality of life of a community. We are certainly excited to serve the community and get to work.”
Crocker’s swearing-in ceremony is a public event and will be held at Cotton Creek Warehouse Saturday, Jan. 14, from 2-4 p.m.
