As 2025 comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to revisit some of the stories that resonated most across Homewood. These aren’t just top clicks or biggest headlines — they’re pieces that captured something real about the people, places and moments that defined the year.
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Staff photo.
Sgt. Trent Ricketts has been named Homewood Police Officer of the Year for the third time. He received the honor in 2017, as seen in this photo.
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Photo by Tim Stephens.
From left: Homewood Police Chief Tim Ross, Sgt. Trent Ricketts and Mayor Alex Wyatt pose at the Homewood Chamber of Commerce January luncheon where Ricketts was honored as the Officer of the Year. The Homewood Chamber of Commerce held its annual January luncheon, featuring the state-of-the-city address, on Jan. 21.
Sgt. Trent Ricketts has spent years chasing the darkest crimes — the kind that steal childhoods and destroy lives. He has tracked down human traffickers, rescued victims and helped put predators behind bars.
It’s grueling work, but for Ricketts, it’s a calling.
His relentless efforts, particularly in cases of human trafficking and child exploitation, helped drive a 17% decrease in overall crime in Homewood during 2024, according to statistics released in January by the Homewood Police Department.
Now, after a year that saw his investigations stretch across five states, Ricketts has been named the Homewood Police Department’s 2024 Officer of the Year for the third time. Recently promoted to night shift patrol supervisor, Ricketts has played a pivotal role in some of the city’s most impactful investigations in his 12 years with the department.
He spent six years as an investigator with the department’s Special Investigations Unit, and much of his work has focused on human trafficking, child exploitation and narcotics investigations — areas where the SIU has made significant progress over the past year.
In 2024, the unit made 82 arrests, 38 of which were related to human trafficking and prostitution, and nine arrests were for internet crimes against children. The SIU also rescued two victims of human trafficking.
Ricketts focused on human trafficking and child exploitation issues after working the case of Kamille “Cupcake” McKinney, a 3-year-old who was kidnapped and murdered in Birmingham in October 2019.
“We're really squared away at Homewood, but I think it was just one area that you don't have a lot of those types of cases. As I got into it, I started noticing our hotels, the human trafficking, and it just piqued my interest, and it sort of became a passion for working those kinds of cases,” Ricketts said. “It's not for everybody, for sure. But I would say they've been the most impactful [cases] of my career so far.”
CRIME STATISTICS SHOW DECLINE
In 2024, Ricketts carried a caseload of more than 40 crimes against children and human trafficking cases, securing the successful prosecution of eight offenders, who collectively received more than 100 years in prison. His work with the FBI’s Violent Crimes and Crimes Against Children task forces has extended beyond Homewood, resulting in arrests across five states and the recovery or identification of 16 child victims. In addition, he also executed seven successful online undercover operations, proactively stopping local children from being victimized.
Because of his work, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has requested that he present case studies and seminars on human trafficking training and develop curriculum to be taught to incoming federal agents.
Homewood’s overall decline in crime in 2024 includes a 68% reduction in robberies and a 34% drop in vehicle thefts. Assaults were also down 15%, and unlawful breaking and entering of vehicles fell by 6%. The city also reported zero homicides in 2024, a 100% decrease from the previous year.
“Most of the car thefts were unlocked cars with keys in them, literally parked in the driveway with keys in them,” said Sgt. Mark Trippe, staff sergeant and public information officer for HPD. “There's only so much you can do to prevent that, obviously, but that's the most common, like what a citizen of Homewood might encounter is probably going to be some sort of theft-related crime.”
Theft remains the most frequently reported crime in Homewood, with 524 incidents in 2024 — a notable 18% decrease from 2023. While burglary saw a slight uptick from 75 to 78 incidents, police attribute the overall reduction in crime to consistent proactivity and the work of specialized units like the SIU.
“Our officers try to be proactive on patrol. That's usually the biggest way to deter crime in the city,” Trippe said. “People who are coming here to commit crimes know that the police are out there patrolling. We're out there stopping cars. They see us driving around. So, you know, they're less likely to try to actually commit some sort of crime because they know we have that reputation of being visible, being proactive.”
The Homewood Police Department responded to 44,923 calls for service in 2024, resulting in 1,740 arrests and 12,595 traffic stops. Officers issued 6,735 traffic tickets during the year.
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT SEIZURES
The SIU’s focus on combating narcotics and organized crime led to substantial seizures in 2024. The unit confiscated 203 grams of heroin/fentanyl, 255 grams of cocaine, 264 grams of methamphetamine and six pounds of marijuana. Additionally, officers recovered 43 firearms and seven vehicles with cloned VINs during their investigations.
Ricketts’ leadership and expertise have been instrumental in these efforts. His dedication has been recognized not only by the Homewood Police Department but also by the FBI, which has described him as an invaluable asset in cases.
A CAREER OF SERVICE
Ricketts, a Cullman native, joined the Homewood Police Department in 2013 after serving as a captain in the U.S. Air Force. During his time with the department, he has held roles as a patrol officer, field training officer and Tactical Team operator. He was promoted to sergeant while working with the SIU and now serves as a shift supervisor in the patrol division.
Beyond his investigative work, Ricketts regularly speaks to students at Homewood High School and other schools across the state, offering online safety presentations to help protect children from potential dangers.
“The Homewood Police Department is extremely proud and grateful for the work Sgt. Ricketts has done throughout his career to continuously serve the citizens of Homewood and the community with professionalism, dedication and integrity,” the department said in a press release. “His tireless efforts have made the city of Homewood a safer place for its citizens, and especially its children.”
