Anthony Purcell, associate vice president and chief of PoliceThe Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies has re-elected University of Alabama at Birmingham associate vice president and chief of Police Anthony Purcell as its president for a second consecutive year. Purcell will serve as the chairperson and president of CALEA for 2020.
CALEA maintains a body of standards to consistently improve accreditation management in law enforcement. The agency annually elects a qualified individual who has continually supported CALEA as a professional institution in the field of public safety as its president.
Purcell has been a member of the commission since 2013 and has previously served as its treasurer and vice president.
“It is truly an honor to be re-selected for this role and to represent our UAB Police and Public Safety Department on a national level,” Purcell said.
The UAB Police Department has been accredited by CALEA since 2008.
“The CALEA Board of Commissioners represents the very best in public safety leadership,” said Executive Director W. Craig Hartley Jr. “It was no surprise to me when Chief Purcell’s 20 peer commissioners fully endorsed his re-election last month for another year. It is an honor and a pleasure to continue to work alongside Chief Purcell in this role during 2020.”
Purcell has an extensive background in the public safety and policing sectors. His career began with the Durham County, North Carolina, Sheriff’s Department in 1983. He held positions as chief of police and director of public safety at North Carolina Central University, chief of police and director of public safety at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and deputy chief of police at Georgia Institute of Technology before joining UAB in 2006.
Purcell holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminal justice from North Carolina Central University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, as well as other executive programs. Purcell is also a member of several organizations, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. He is also the former Southeast Region director for the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators. He currently serves as one of the 21 CALEA commissioners, made up of 11 law enforcement practitioners from the public and private sectors around the nation.