Late Northport Police Chief Credited With Providing Leadership During Tumultuous Time

NORTHPORT, AL — The Northport Police Department on Tuesday confirmed that Kerry Card, who served as the city's police chief from 2013-2014, died on Thursday, June 30.

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He was 76.

A longtime Air National Guard member, a Vietnam War veteran and career law enforcement officer, Card was appointed police chief by the Northport City Council in March 2013.

The decision came in the wake of Card's predecessor being placed on administrative leave and subsequently fired after an audit of the department detailed a culture of intimidation with exceedingly high turnover.

This was the ship Card was tasked with righting and former Council President Jay Logan remembered the former chief for his efforts helping to shepherd the police department through a period he referred to as "tumultuous."

"I've always enjoyed Chief Card's willingness to help in the community," Logan told Patch. "He was a very good police officer and greater administrator. We were going through some changes in our police department and had to navigate that stuff and Chief Card brought a sense of professionalism and common sense. He also worked hard to be available and accessible to the council."

Retired Northport Police Department Captain Ron Bolton served 25 years in the department and developed a longstanding friendship with Card as the two worked together in various areas such as traffic and officer training.

"Kerry and I were good friends for over 30 years," Bolton told Patch. "We worked closely together in many areas at the police department and stayed in touch during retirement, though we haven't talked in two or three months. I'll miss his friendship."

Card retired in August 2014, a little more than a year after being appointed chief, and was replaced by Gerald Burton, who has served as the city's top cop ever since.

And it was Card's successor who reflected about the impact the longtime lawman had over his three decades wearing the badge.

"He cared about the people of the community and the profession," Burton told Patch. "He loved doing the two things I call 'a spectator sport' — skydiving and underwater cave diving. He would ask me to go and I’d always tell him, my wife wouldn’t let me go."

A memorial service for Card will be held at Magnolia Chapel North from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. on July 30.

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