Talladega College President Dr. Gregory Vincent has appointed Detective-Sergeant Christopher Anderson as the institution’s new chief of police effective July 15, 2022. Anderson, who is an alumnus of the college, will also maintain his position as an instructor of criminal justice.
Anderson is a retired Birmingham Police Department veteran with 27 years of experience in law enforcement. He has co-hosted the Investigation Discovery (ID) channel’s television series “Reasonable Doubt” for the past six years, and previously solved crimes on air for A&E’s First 48-Birmingham. In addition to proficiently handling robbery, burglary, and narcotics investigations, he has solved over 92% of his murder cases with a 100% conviction rate.
“Chief Anderson is nationally known and respected for his contributions to the field of law enforcement. He has extensive training and experience as well as a reputation for promoting trust, mutual respect and accountability in policing,” said Dr. Vincent. “As a graduate of the college, he also has a vested interest in this institution and a commitment to maintaining a safe and secure environment where the entire campus community can thrive. His law enforcement credentials, coupled with his success as a detective and a criminal justice instructor, make him exceptionally well qualified to serve as police chief.”
Anderson attributes his life-long commitment to service to his mother, who was among the first black females to serve in the Birmingham Police Department in the 1970s. “My mother is the greatest police officer I have ever known. Even at 71, she continues to direct my path. Because of her, I learned early to maintain a certain standard. I believe in character first and foremost when you wear this badge,” said Chief Anderson, who has taught in Talladega’s Criminal Justice Department since 2018 and looks forward to increasing his impact exponentially by now serving as police chief.
“Even when I retired from the Birmingham Police Department, I knew I had more to give,” he stated. “When God opens doors, I am going to go through them.”
“I look forward to working with City of Talladega Police Chief Diane Thomas to help bridge the gap between the City's police department, the community, and Talladega College. Serving as police chief at a college is not drastically different from what I have always done. It is still leadership and still community-oriented policing,” he stated. “Because I am in a visible position, I am able to help expose students to different areas of law enforcement. This is critical because many students are reluctant to pursue law enforcement careers right now, and police departments throughout the nation are struggling to attract and retain officers.”
Anderson volunteers as the mentoring director for the 100 Black Men of Metro Birmingham. He also leads the investigative team for District Attorney Lynniece Washington’s “Conviction Integrity Unit.”
