Bay Minette City Council Confirms Al W. Tolbert Jr. as New Police Chief

Bay Minette will soon have a new top law enforcement officer after the City Council voted unanimously this week to confirm Al W. Tolbert Jr. as the city’s next police chief. Tolbert is set to officially take command of the Bay Minette Police Department on Nov. 20, stepping into the role vacated by outgoing Chief Clarence Crook’s retirement.

The council’s vote capped a lengthy selection process led by Mayor Robert A. Wills, who assembled a committee of residents and law enforcement personnel to evaluate candidates for the post. According to a spokeswoman for the city, the appointment came only after that committee worked through an extended application and vetting process to identify the department’s next leader.

Tolbert is not new to the department he will now lead. He joined the Bay Minette Police Department in 2000 as a patrol officer, spending three years walking a beat before earning a promotion to K-9 handler and the rank of sergeant. He went on to serve as a patrol supervisor, a post he held until 2007.

Beyond his police work, Tolbert has also been active in the broader public safety community as a member of the Pine Grove Volunteer Fire Department.

Tolbert said he is excited about the opportunity to lead the department where he has spent his entire law enforcement career.

About Bay Minette

Bay Minette has served as the seat of Baldwin County since 1901, when the county government was moved there from Daphne.