The featured law enforcement officer this month is Lt. Tory Neely, Supervisor, Criminal Investigation Division, with the Selma Police Department. These profiles are offered as a tribute to our dedicated men and women in the police department. It is also a means of bringing them more personally into our homes and neighborhoods to familiarize and better acquaint citizens with those sworn to serve and protect.

There used to be a saying that “nothing good ever comes out of Chicago.” Well, Lt. Toriano “Tory” Neely of the Selma Police Department is absolute proof of the fallacy to that broad statement. Born to a father from Selma and a mother from Chicago, Neely spent his first years of life in Chicago. He relocated to Selma in the sixth grade of school.

In Selma, Neely attended Brantley Elementary and received his high school diploma from Dallas County HIgh in 1988. After high school, he continued his education receiving a degree in criminal justice from Alabama State University. He has also served in the Army Reserves. Neely’s resume includes being a graduate of the Montgomery Police Academy. Prior to his coming to the Selma Police Department, Neely worked for 18 months with the Millbrook Police Department. Needless to say, he has been a busy man and always moving up. The lure of home brought him back to Selma.

Neely joined the Selma Police Department in 1996 and was assigned to the patrol division. Sometime later, he met Tanika who was working as the Chief Magistrate for the court system. The two fell in love and married. Neely’s son, Mark, is a police officer with the Selma Police Department. The old adage, “like father, like son,” is playing out in the lives of this family. Selma is all the more fortunate to have two from this family still serving the community. Tanika has since moved on to work in the Montgomery court system.

In Neely’s 20 years on the force, he has worked at one time or the other in most all the units. He started out as a patrol officer on the evening shift (2-10 p.m.) and worked himself up through the ranks. He has been assigned to the day shift patrol, night shift patrol, training and recruiting, narcotics, investigations, and even worked part time at the jail and in the radio room.

In 2002, he was promoted to Sergeant while working as an investigator in the Criminal Investigation Division (CID). Neely has come full circle and was recently promoted to lieutenant in CID.

I spoke to him about his job and responsibilities and came away impressed with his answers. Neely is a positive thinker. He does not have time to dwell on the negative. Just like the old Johnny Mercer song he, “Accentuates the Positive and Eliminates the Negative.” During his 20 years in the department, he always goes into a new assignment with “how can I make it better?”  His latest assignment is always his best and he works to make it so. He confidently says he is liked by everyone, therefore, they are willing to talk and tell him things. I believe him.

When Neely isn’t on duty with the police department, he enjoys his photography and charter service.

Selma is fortunate to have such men and women as are employed at the Selma Police Department. They are to be commended for their dedication and service to the community. Now more than ever, they need our support.