Welcome back, Deputy Clark!

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Deputy Adam Clark (center) was welcomed back on the job Tuesday at the Cullman County Sheriff's Office by his father Greg Clark (right). Looking on (far left) is Lt. Joey Collier. Deputy Clark was critically injured in a wreck 11 months ago. (Screen captures/CCSO video)
Updated 1-19-21 4 p.m.
 
CULLMAN, Ala. – Eleven months ago, Cullman County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Deputy Adam Clark and his K9 partner Figo were seriously injured in a wreck. Tuesday, Clark was back at work, and a special person’s voice welcomed him over the radio.
 
The CCSO posted to social media Tuesday morning: A long eleven months…Sheriff Matt Gentry and the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office (were) proud to welcome Deputy Adam Clark back today. Back on February 11, 2020, Deputy Clark and his K9 partner, Figo, were severely injured in a vehicle accident. After almost a year of hard work, therapy and a tremendous amount of love and support from his friends, family, co-workers and the entire community, Adam is back!
 
While it may be bittersweet due to the recent passing of Figo, Adam is ready to be back. He was not ready for the surprise Sheriff Gentry and Adam’s dad – Greg – had prepared for him. When Deputy Clark began this morning’s tour of duty, it was his Father’s voice he heard on the other end of the radio.

Welcome back Adam. Be safe out there.

Of Greg Clark, the CCSO posted: “A proud, but anxious father – Greg Clark waited to hear his son’s voice on the radio to welcome him back to Cullman County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Gentry would like to thank everyone in the community for the wonderful support given to Deputy Clark during this incredible process. Welcome back Adam!

The wreck in which Adam Clark was injured, along with his K9 partner Figo, happened Feb. 11, 2020.  

According to the CCSO, dispatch lost contact with Clark during heavy rain. Deputies located Clark a short time later, when they discovered he had wrecked along Alabama Highway 69 South and was unconscious.

A traffic alert issued by the department at the time said the highway was closed just past County Road 8 just before 5 a.m. It remained closed for almost three hours.

The CCSO enlisted the help of the Cullman Police Department (CPD) in the search for Clark that morning.

“We have GPS on our vehicles, which aided in getting us in the general area. Cullman EMS, the local volunteer fire departments…it took us approximately an hour. We were able to locate Deputy Clark and his vehicle off a ravine,” Sheriff Gentry said at the time, noting that bad weather conditions hindered the efforts.

Clark was transported to Huntsville Hospital the day of the crash. He was transferred to Shepherd Center in Atlanta in late February 2020.

On Jan. 5, 2021, the CCSO announced K9 Figo’s passing, saying: Sheriff Matt Gentry and the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office are saddened to report the passing of one of the CCSO’s four-legged deputies. K9 “Figo” has passed away due to health related issues.

Figo was the longtime partner of Deputy Adam Clark. Both Deputy Clark and Figo were injured in a vehicle accident last February. Lt. Matthew Bales, who is over the K9 program, has been working with Figo in an attempt to rehabilitate him since the accident.

Figo was a Belgian Malinois who has been with the sheriff’s office for about three years. During that time he and his partner were responsible for numerous arrests and for removing large amounts of narcotics from Cullman County.

K9 Figo will be missed.

End of Watch 01/05/21

 

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Wendy Sack

wendy@cullmantribune.com