Deputy Chief Michael Pickett is the Chief of the Special Operations Bureau. He is a Birmingham native who joined the Birmingham Police Department in 2004. After graduating from the police academy, he was assigned to West Precinct where he later became a Field Training Officer.
During his career, Deputy Chief Pickett was assigned to various assignments that included the City-Wide Task Force and the Crime Reduction Team (C.R.T). After working stints in Patrol, Investigations, and Dignitary Protection, Deputy Chief Pickett was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
Upon advancing to the rank of Lieutenant, he became Commander of the City-Wide Traffic Task Force, Executive Protection Unit, and Security Services Division. Deputy Chief Pickett was also the Law Enforcement Branch Director for the 2022 World Games.
He has received numerous law enforcement training certifications including, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), High Risk Operations, High Risk Warrant Planning and Execution, De-Escalation Tactics & Techniques, Sport and Special Event Risk Management, and Cyber Investigations. He has also obtained managerial and executive leadership certifications through the Personnel Board of Jefferson County.
Deputy Chief Pickett is currently pursuing his Master of Science degree in criminal justice with a concentration in Homeland Security and Advanced Counterterrorism.