Birmingham is Alabama’s largest city, with a population of over 196,000.1 The Birmingham Police Department (BPD) is led by Chief Michael Pickett and employs 912 sworn officers and 325 professional staff.2 The department patrols a service area of more than 160 square miles and is actively recruiting.3 Men and women who want to join the BPD will find information on the application, selection, and training process below.

Birmingham Police Officer Requirements

To join the BPD, applicants must meet the following minimum qualifications:3

  • Be at least 19 years old
  • Be a US citizen
  • Possess a valid State of Alabama driver’s license
  • Hold a high school diploma or equivalent
  • Have no felony convictions
  • Have an honorable discharge from the armed services, if applicable
  • Pass a Class A physical examination prior to appointment
  • Have good moral character and reputation

The BPD application is submitted online through the Personnel Board of Jefferson County. Qualified candidates complete a written civil service exam and a pre-employment physical fitness screening administered by the BPD; the agility portion includes pushing a patrol vehicle 15 feet, scaling a six-foot fence, crawling through a two-foot-by-two-foot opening, walking a five-yard balance beam, and dragging a 165-pound dummy five yards, with the agility tasks completed in 90 seconds total. The fitness portion includes 22 push-ups in one minute, 25 sit-ups in one minute, and a 1.5-mile run in 15 minutes 28 seconds. Candidates who pass move on to a background investigation, polygraph examination, medical examination, and psychological screening.

For more information about becoming a law enforcement officer in a big city like Birmingham, check out 10 Steps to Becoming a Police Officer on our home page. To apply, visit the BPD recruitment page.

Birmingham Police Academy

All BPD recruits attend the Birmingham Police Academy, which runs roughly 20 to 22 weeks on a four-day, ten-hour-per-day schedule.3 The curriculum totals approximately 800 hours of instruction, of which 560 hours are required by the Alabama Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission (APOSTC). Coursework covers criminal law, search and seizure, patrol procedures, police-community relations, first aid, firearms, defensive tactics, and physical fitness. Recruits are paid during academy training and are sworn in upon graduation. New officers then complete a minimum of 16 weeks of field training in the Patrol Division alongside a Field Training Officer (FTO) before receiving their first permanent assignment.

Salary, Benefits, and Jobs Outlook

BPD starting salaries are tiered by education level, and every new recruit also receives a $10,000 sign-on bonus.3

Education LevelAnnual Starting SalaryMonthly Base
High school diploma or GED$58,094$4,841
Associate’s degree$61,006$5,084
Bachelor’s degree$64,043$5,337

Birmingham police officers are paid on Grade 19 of the City of Birmingham Public Safety Salary Schedule, which scales from a Step 1 base of $52,249 to $81,057 at Step 10, with additional premium steps reaching $98,508.4

Officers also receive educational incentive pay, longevity pay, group medical and dental benefit options, vision insurance, group life insurance, and full pay during academy training.3 Vacation accrues at one day per month for the first 12 years of service, increasing thereafter, and officers earn 8 hours of sick leave each month. The BPD offers a 20-year retirement plan, a Deferred Retirement Option Plan after 26 years of service, and a 457 deferred compensation plan. Recruits also receive 12 paid holidays a year (including their birthday), up to 21 days of paid military leave annually, jury leave, and uniforms and most equipment at no cost.

In Alabama, employment of police and sheriff’s patrol officers is projected to grow 5% from 2022 to 2032 (faster than the 3% national growth rate for this position), with approximately 1,050 new positions added each year on average, according to Projections Central.5 The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that approximately 3,140 police and sheriff’s patrol officers work in the Birmingham, AL metropolitan area, with a mean annual wage of $61,490 as of May 2024.6

Find open Birmingham police officer listings on our jobs board.

Career Advancement at BPD

All BPD officers begin their careers in the Patrol Division. After successful completion of academy and field training, and after a minimum of three years of patrol service, officers may be considered for transfer to one of the department’s career specialty assignments, including Detective, Tactical Officer, Task Force Officer, School Resource Officer, Crime Scene Technician, Canine Handler, Polygraph Examiner, Range/Academy Instructor, Explosive Ordinance Technician, and Motor Scout.3 The traditional promotional ladder runs from Officer to Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, and command staff. The BPD does not currently publish salary figures for promoted ranks on its recruitment page.

Cities and Police Departments Near Birmingham

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 3,140 police and sheriff’s patrol officers work in the Birmingham metropolitan area, which covers Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, and Walker counties.6 Law enforcement professionals in the region can also explore opportunities with the Hoover Police Department, the Trussville Police Department, the Tuscaloosa Police Department, the University of Alabama Police Department, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. For more information about police departments across the state, see our Alabama page.

Additional Resources

Birmingham Police Department Contact

1. US Census Bureau, QuickFacts, Birmingham city, Alabama: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/birminghamcityalabama/PST045224
2. Birmingham Police Department, About: https://www.birminghamal.gov/government/city-departments/birmingham-police-department/about-birmingham-police-department
3. Birmingham Police Department, Join the Police Department Team: https://www.birminghamal.gov/government/city-departments/birmingham-police-department/join-police-department-team
4. Personnel Board of Jefferson County, City of Birmingham Public Safety Salary Schedule, Effective 07/01/2025: https://www.pbjcal.org/documents/salary/04BH/PublicSafety.pdf
5. Projections Central, Long-Term Occupational Projections, Alabama: https://projectionscentral.org/longterm
6. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Birmingham, AL: https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/area/0013820