Scott Thurmond named Birmingham Chief of Police
Birmingham, AL – Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin has appointed Scott Thurmond as the chief of the Birmingham Police Department. Thurmond has served as the interim chief since January. His appointment is effective June 24.
“Since day one, Chief Thurmond has demonstrated that he is a compassionate leader and an advocate for our officers and residents,” Mayor Woodfin said. “There is no need to look any further. He is the right man for the job. He will serve our city well.”
Thurmond is a 23-year veteran with the Birmingham Police Department, having served and led in several precincts as well as in executive leadership with honor and a track record for fighting crime. Under his leadership in 2020, the West Precinct launched a special task force that successfully increased the removal of guns off the streets and focused on high engagement and follow up on cases which led to greater solvability. As a result, residents saw a 25 percent reduction in crime in the West Precinct.
“I am honored that Mayor Woodfin has put his trust in me,” Chief Thurmond said. “This was not something that I sought out. I have simply just wanted to serve and protect the great people of Birmingham with excellence and compassion. This platform will allow me to partner with our brave officers in helping to create a safe Birmingham for all. I look forward to serving.”
Chief Thurmond began his career in the patrol division at the North Precinct where he served the Titusville and Smithfield communities from 1999-2005 as patrolman and field training officer. Two years later, in 2007, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and assigned to the West Precinct Morning Shift in the patrol division.
In 2008, Thurmond was transferred to the Homicide Unit in the Investigative Bureau and worked as a sergeant until 2013 when he was then promoted to the rank of lieutenant. In 2015, Chief Thurmond returned to the Homicide Unit as the commander. In 2018, he became the interim commander of the newly formed Robbery/Homicide Division which consists of seven individual units: Homicide Unit, Felony Assault Unit, Robbery Unit, Crime Reduction Team (CRT), Project ICE, Intelligence Unit, and the Sex Offender Unit. In 2019, Thurmond was promoted to the rank of captain and served as the West Precinct commander in the Patrol Bureau. Most recently, he served as the executive assistant to the deputy chief of the Investigative Bureau.
Thurmond, a University of Montevallo graduate with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a minor in political science, said it has always been his dream to be a police officer. Now, since serving in leadership, he has made it his mission to serve his fellow officers and the community with humility.
