The Limestone County Sheriff’s Office oversees the safety and security of the more than 114,000 residents of Limestone County, a task that Limestone County Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin does not take lightly, but that does not completely encompass all that is asked of those that courageously wear the LCSO badge.

“We’ve been able to make arrests and stop crimes that have happened all the way across North Alabama and the entire state of Alabama,” McLaughlin told The News Courier. “We’ve been able to take drug dealers who have been on our streets for years and years, without any repercussions, and remove them from our streets. We are committed to making Limestone County a safer place for our citizens.”

Through the first week of February, the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office has responded to 355 calls for service, booked 76 individuals into their systems, served 53 warrants and conducted 348 traffic stops, according to statistics from LCSO. 

As McLaughlin mentioned, the war on drugs in Limestone County was one of the many focuses for their office’s efforts in 2024. Their department made significant strides in combating the spread of illicit substances, targeting dealers to disrupt the various supply chains of Fentanyl, Methamphetamine and numerous other illegal drugs. 

McLaughlin mentioned that they will continue to build on that positive headway in 2025, but he also noted that at the forefront of their efforts remains their commitment to protecting the youth of Limestone County. The 2024-2025 school year was the first year that every school in both Athens City Schools and Limestone County Schools had a school resource officer (SRO) — and their usefulness was on full display.

“The incidents in 2024, when faced with several threats to the wellbeing of our students in schools throughout our county, further established the need of SROs and the role they play in our schools,” McLaughlin said. “As long as I am here, we are going to continue to hammer down on the security of our kids — and that extends beyond the classroom. I want our citizens to know that their kids are safe at all times, and I want the child predators to know that if they step in Limestone County they will be caught.”

While the LCSO’s focus on protecting their community is paramount, they still remain committed to establishing valuable connections with the citizens who make up their community. McLaughlin said that two of the office’s most popular annual events — the Limestone County Sheriff’s Rodeo and Exceptional Needs Rodeo for those with disabilities — have the possibility to be even better in 2025.

“The rodeo is always the highlight of our year,” McLaughlin said. “We are already making plans for May 16 and 17. We are working on putting those programs together now, and we are working on gaining as many volunteers as we can. I hope it’s going to be bigger and better than it has ever been, so if anyone wants to be a part of it they can contact us now.”

To contact the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office you can email info@limestonesheriff.com or call them on their non-emergency line at 256-232-0111.