Arizona YouTube series films first out-of-state episode in Autauga County

An Arizona-based YouTube series put Autauga County deputies in front of a national audience for the first time, with Alpha Responder Network airing its first episode outside Arizona on May 1 and centering the ride-along on Deputy Darrius Matthews and Sheriff Mark Harrell.

The documentary-style channel says it focuses on the real lives of first responders, and producer Will Rogers said Alabama was the natural place to expand because he was born and raised in Montgomery and has family in Prattville. That family tie turned the county into more than a filming location. It made Autauga County the site of the channel’s first step beyond its home state, a move that blends public outreach with a carefully managed look at law enforcement work in progress.

In the episode, Matthews was the featured deputy. The ride-along followed him through patrol work and included scenes along the Alabama River and at a community rodeo hosted by Harrell, giving viewers a look at how deputies operate in public-facing settings. The channel’s description says the production followed Harrell and Matthews and marked the first time ARN left Arizona to film. Rogers said the deputies came across as professional, direct, and respectful, and he said that same respect was reflected back by the public.

For the sheriff’s office, the appearance offered a high-visibility window into a workload that extends far beyond patrol cars on county roads. The office says it is the primary law enforcement agency for Autauga County’s unincorporated areas and handles about 9,200 calls for service each year, along with court security, civil process, mental orders, and prisoner transports. The county spans 604 square miles, including 594 square miles of land and 10 square miles of water, and the sheriff’s office says about 85% of that land is used for timber and farming.

Autauga County’s population continues to grow as the county’s public image reaches farther than ever. The U.S. Census Bureau listed the county’s 2020 population at 58,805 and its July 1, 2025 estimate at 61,920. More episodes featuring Autauga County deputies are already said to be coming, including ride-alongs with Deputy Corey Smith and Deputy Brandon Goldwire, keeping the sheriff’s office under a spotlight that now extends well beyond the county line.