Media contact: Yvonne Taunton
Anthony PurcellThe Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies has elected University of Alabama at Birmingham Associate Vice President and Chief of Police Anthony Purcell its president for 2019.
CALEA maintains a body of standards to consistently improve accreditation management in law enforcement. The agency annually elects a qualified individual for the role of president who has continually supported CALEA as a professional institution in the field of public safety.
Purcell has been a member of the commission since 2013 and served as its treasurer and vice president.
“It is truly an honor to be selected for this role and to represent our UAB Police and Public Safety Department on a national level,” Purcell said. “Without the diligence, tireless efforts and commitment to excellence from our officers and team here at UAB, this would not be possible.”
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. “Chief Purcell is a longtime friend, partner and integral part of moving forward CALEA’s mission of improving the delivery of public safety services. It was no surprise to me when Chief Purcell’s 20 peer commissioners fully endorsed his selection as CALEA’s newest president and chairperson. It will be an honor and a pleasure to continue to work alongside Chief Purcell in this new role.”
Purcell has an extensive background in the public safety and policing sectors, beginning 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, and is 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.