By Alabama Public Radio
Blountsville, AL – Several residents of Hanceville and Blountsville are very upset that a sex offender served as a police officer in both cities. John Matthew Langston was hired as a part-time officer in Hanceville in February. He worked about three weeks before quitting to take a full-time job with the Blountsville Police Department. He resigned from that department last week. Langston had already lost his job with the Vestavia Hills police force last year because of a sex offender case. The police chief in Blountsville says Langston was a fine officer and had been wronged in the sex offender case. Hanceville officials say they didn't know Langston was a convicted sex offender. Residents in both cities are furious and have expressed their concerns at city council meetings. They also demanded answers about why Langston was hired as a police officer. Residents also have accused city officials of endangering their communities by not performing an adequate background check on Langston.