Longest-Serving TPD Officer, Two-Time Interim Chief Mitt Tubbs Retires After 38 Years

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Longtime Tuscaloosa area lawman Mitt Tubbs was honored by his colleagues Thursday as he retires from a highly decorated 38-year law enforcement career.

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Tubbs first came to the Tuscaloosa Police Department in October 1987 as a patrol officer, after starting out with the Northport Police Department.

During his time with TPD, he served in the department's motors division, narcotics division and as a patrol supervisor, before being named assistant chief in 2004.

Tubbs would also go on to twice serve as interim Tuscaloosa police chief. The first stint was for six months as former Police Chief Steve Anderson attended the FBI Academy, then again when Anderson retired in August 2019.

During that second stint as interim chief, his service included providing trusted leadership within the department following the murder of former TPD investigator Dornell Cousette, who was killed in the line of duty in September 2019.

According to the City of Tuscaloosa, Tubbs retires as the longest-serving officer in the department and served as a mentor to many who went on to be named to leadership positions.

"The pride he took in his work and the department motivated the officers to do their best to meet his standards," TPD said in a Facebook post on Thursday. "Chief Tubbs always kept his cool, and could calm a hectic situation just by showing up. His confidence and authority was reassuring to both officers and the public. Those qualities served him well as a crisis negotiator and and Special Response Team member."

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