BAY MINETTE, Ala. — Two felons convicted of violent crimes were denied parole by the state Board of Pardons, following vigorous arguments by the Baldwin County District Attorney’s Office.

District Attorney Hallie Dixon argued against the early release of Bradley Harrison Trawick, who was convicted of shooting a Gulf Shores police officer in 2000.

Trawick, 30, will not be eligible for another parole hearing for at least five more years.

Trawick, then age 18, of Mobile, shot Cpl. Justin Clopton one evening in Gulf Shores shortly after Clopton stopped Trawick to question him about a burglary.

Trawick ran into a wooded area, then turned and fired a shot, striking Clopton in the torso. The bullet hit Clopton’s bulletproof vest and was stopped, sparing the officer’s life. Clopton testified at the time that the impact “knocked his breath away,” but did not penetrate his body.

Clopton testified he saw the silhouette of the suspect, then a flash from the shot. He said he had Trawick in his gunsight, then lowered his pistol when he realized a mass of humanity — runners, walkers and drivers — were a couple of blocks away on Highway 59.

He watched the suspect flee into the darkness. Trawick was captured shortly thereafter.

Clopton was widely praised for his restraint and instinctive actions.

Trawick was charged with attempted murder and burglary of a local seafood business.

“May is the month that we honor fallen law enforcement officers who have given their lives answering the call of duty, so it’s especially poignant that we were able to keep Trawick in prison for shooting a police officer,” Dixon said.

“But for a bulletproof vest, this officer would likely have died,” Dixon said, “and Trawick would have been convicted of capital murder. “We think Trawick should serve every bit of his 28-year sentence, and we will do our best to make sure he does.”

Gulf Shores Police Chief Edward Delmore told council members Monday he applauded the district attorney’s actions.

“Many of you in the room wrote letters and email in support of keeping Bradley Trawick in the penitentiary,” Delmore said. “His parole was denied last week after Hallie Dixon and several members of the Gulf Shores Police Department testified.”

In another successful parole protest, Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rushing Payne argued against the release of Craig Cornell White, who was sentenced in 1991 to life in prison for the 1988 robbery, stabbing and beating of E.J. Ryals. White, now 56, has served 21 years.

“White was 33 years old when he went into the victim’s Loxley home under the pretense of paying rent,” Payne said. “Instead, he hit the victim in the face multiple times, stabbed him in the chest with a butcher knife, and took his wallet and $200 in cash. Mr. Ryals was 71 years old.”

Ryals is now dead, Payne said.

“A life sentence was appropriate punishment for this crime, and we are pleased that the Parole Board agreed to keep this violent criminal in prison.”