Tuscaloosa mayor appoints new Executive Dir. of Public Safety, Chief of Police

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - Big changes are on the way in Tuscaloosa as the city looks to increase public safety. City leaders announced Tuesday a new Executive Director of Public Safety and an acting Chief of Police.

The public safety landscape has changed dramatically over the years - especially in Tuscaloosa. From weather to packed Alabama games and everything in between. That’s why Mayor Walt Maddox is appointing Chief Brent Blankley as the new Executive Director of Public Safety to oversee it all, a completely new position.

According to Maddox, Tuscaloosa had 50 events in 2025 with over a million people in town from those events combined. Auburn and Mobile have public safety directors as well as some cities in the SEC.

Maddox says the challenges facing police, E-911, firefighters and mental health workers have never been greater.

“Most communities don’t have that type of pressure placed upon them and how we manage and leverage our resources is paramount to keep every one of our citizens and visitors safe,” Madddox said.

“We’re unique in that 16 times a year we’re Alabama’s largest city when we have Alabama home football games,” Maddox added.

Blankley has served with the Tuscaloosa Police Department in various roles for nearly 20 years. He’s been chief since 2020. He says he’s ready to take on this new role.

“It’s no longer just police and fire rescue and all city departments,” said Blankley. “It’s every department that pitches in on major events throughout the city, as the mayor said whether it’s game day, holidays on the plaza, so any event we have it takes the entire city to do that.”

Maddox also appointed Deputy Chief Sebo Sanders as acting Chief of Police. Sanders has been with the department for nearly 30 years, most recently as the Deputy Chief of Community Policing. He also directed the Police Athletic League.

“The people believe in us. They want our trust to make sure when they go to bed at night, they want to feel safe, and I’ve met a lot of great people over 29 years,” Sanders said.

Sanders declined to comment on if he’s interested in having the role of chief permanently.

Mayor Walt Maddox outlined a plan to start interviewing potential candidates for the new chief in March with the goal of naming the permanent chief by mid-April.

Maddox tells us both men showed extraordinary leadership after a 13-year-old was shot and killed by a stray bullet in Washington Square in 2021. Maddox says it would have been easy to see things move sideways in that case.

“The leadership of both of these men when put under pressure was at the elite level that we all want in our community. I trust them and the community trusts them. And my expectations are that they are going to deliver in an exceptional level for all of us,” Maddox said.

Both of the new appointments will take effect on January 19. We’re told Chief Sanders has accepted his offer, but it has to be confirmed by the city council.

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