Compassion for a fallen comrade seemed to override tension during a Dec. 15 meeting of the Shelby County Law Enforcement Personnel Board.

The meeting marked the board’s first with County Manager Alex Dudchock among its ranks. Dudchock’s appointment to the board by the Shelby County Commission drew opposition from Shelby County Sheriff’s Office deputy Russell Bedsole during a Dec. 14 commission meting.

During the Dec. 14 commission meeting, Bedsole, who said he represented all sheriff’s department employees, submitted a letter disputing Dudchock’s appointment to the law enforcement board. In his letter, Bedsole claimed the appointment created a conflict of interest because Dudchock was an employee of the county commission.

“I didn’t think anything was going to happen this soon,” Bedsole said after the meeting, which drew a large crowd of sheriff’s deputies and department employees.

But rather than discuss Dudchock’s appointment, the board instead focused its attention on Pelham police officer Philip Davis, who was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Interstate 65 in Pelham Dec. 4.

During the meeting, Bedsole said the Team Fever store in the Shelby Crossing shopping Center on U.S. 31 in Pelham will be selling CDs donated by Belve Records to benefit Davis’ family.

The store will be selling the CDs, which feature artists Ronnie Milsap, Mike Reid and others, for $15 each. All profits raised through the CD sales will be donated to the Davis family, Bedsole said.

“As you guys are well aware, we lost a brother,” Bedsole said. “While his badge didn’t say Shelby County, he still served and protected just like us.

“Belve records usually sells their CDs and donates a percent of the profits to disaster relief funds for police officers and firefighters,” Bedsole added. “But they have come down and donated all these CDs, and 100 percent of everything sold at Team Fever goes to the family.”