BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — After two years leading the Birmingham Police Department, Scott Thurmond is retiring.
During a press conference Thursday, Thurmond announced the he would be retiring as chief of the BPD. He will leave the force Nov. 29.
Thurmond, 50, said he had been thinking about retiring for the last four or five months and that he had wanted to spend more time with his family.
"I've had a lot of thought about this and this is something I've decided to do," Thurmond said. "The department will be in good hands moving forward."
Thurmond has served with the BPD for 26 years. In June 2022, Thurmond was promoted to chief of the department, succeeding former chief Patrick Smith, who resigned after nearly four years as chief.
Thurmond leaves office weeks after a mass shooting occurred in Five Points South on Sept. 21, where four people were killed and 17 others were injured. One arrest has been made in the case. As of Thursday, there have been over 120 homicides in Birmingham, on track to bypass the 135 homicides reported in the city last year.
Birmingham's most violent year was in 1933, when there were 148 violent deaths reported in the city.
Following his speech, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin thanked Thurmond for his service to the city and his leadership of the department.
BPD Deputy Chief Michael Pickett will serve as the interim chief following Thurmond's exit. He will be the city's third police chief since Woodfin was first elected mayor in 2017.