The Florala community will honor Assistant Chief Paul Adams, who passed away last month, this weekend.

Heather Thomas, who is helping organize a balloon release for Saturday, said Adams was known for his big drug busts.

He worked for the Florala Police Department for five years. Throughout his career in law enforcement, he was part of FPD, Covington County Sheriff’s Department, was the K9 officer to Bella, and was a member of the Covington County IRT.

“Oftentimes those around him joked that he had a nose for narcotics in vehicles almost as good as his K9 partner,” Thomas said. “One of his goals as a police officer was to help remove as many drugs off the streets as he could, and he worked very hard to make it a reality in Florala.”

Thomas said folks around town often joked about whether Adams ever took a day off.

“Whenever he was needed to bring Bella out, cover someone else’s shift or just come work out a problem for a citizen; he was always willing to help,”

Thomas said the balloon release serves as a way for the community to say goodbye to one of its own beloved officers, as well as show his family the impact he had on those around him.

“We want to take this time to show his loved ones that his job in Florala touched many lives, as well as in other surrounding communities in the county,” she said.

FPD chief Sonny Bedsole said Adams was “one of the most hard-working, dedicated law enforcement young men I have ever worked with or around – a constant go getter,”

The event will be held at 2 p.m., and plans are to have the first balloons released at 3:02 p.m. in honor of his badge number, at Lake Jackson.