Shelby County Sheriff Mark H. Luttrell, Jr. will be honored as “Local Official of the Year” next month by the National Association of Home Builders. Sheriff Luttrell was nominated for this award by the Memphis Area Home Builders Association.

“We nominated Sheriff Luttrell because of his aggressive stance taken to reduce theft from construction sites in the Memphis and Shelby County area.  He regularly attends our Builders Issues meetings and has tirelessly battled a crime which costs home builders across the country an estimated $5 billion in losses every year.  We are pleased our national association has recognized his efforts,” said Keith Grant, President of the Memphis Area Home Builders Association.

In the nomination letter, Sheriff Luttrell was recognized for designating a team of Detectives with the A.L.E.R.T. Squad (Area Law Enforcement Retailers Team) to investigate construction theft and periodically update the Memphis Area Home Builders Association about arrests and suspect information.

In addition, the A.L.E.R.T. Squad Detectives routinely post information about construction thefts and possible suspects on a website accessible by Association members.  The site allows builders to communicate with each other about crimes on their job sites.  Through tracking crime and surveillance operations in neighborhoods under construction, detectives were able to arrest over 150 suspects and recover more than $1 million in stolen goods over the past several years.

Additionally, A.L.E.R.T. Squad Detectives, often accompanied by Sheriff Luttrell, share construction theft statistics, offer tips to decrease theft, and provide updates about investigations at the monthly Builders Issues meetings at the Memphis Area Home Builders Association.

“We at the Sheriff’s Office appreciate the partnership we have with the Memphis Area Home Builders Association.  This is an excellent example of how law enforcement, working with the business community, can help address crime that affects all citizens in Shelby County.  Thefts from construction sites often drive up construction costs and ultimately home prices in the community,” said Sheriff Luttrell.

Sheriff Luttrell will receive the “Local Official of the Year” award at a ceremony during the International Builders Show on February 7, 2007 in Orlando, FL. 

For more information about the award, contact David Pair at the Memphis Area Home Builders’ Association at (901) 756-4500.