Deputy Chief Onree J. Pruitt Jr. is a 27-year veteran of the Birmingham Police Department. Pruitt was educated in the Birmingham City Schools System and a graduate of West End High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice and with a minor in Psychology from the University of Alabama, Birmingham. He has completed the Jefferson County Personnel Board’s Supervisory Certificate Program and the City of Birmingham Supervisory/Management Program.
Deputy Chief Pruitt began his law enforcement career with the Birmingham Police Department in February of 1996. After graduating from the Birmingham Police Academy, he was assigned to the East Precinct. During that time, he served as a Patrol Officer and East Task Force Officer. In 2002, he was transferred to the Tactical Operations Unit (SWAT) and assigned to the Warrant Detail. As a Tactical Officer, he held Federal and State Instructor Certifications. Additionally, he was often tasked with instructing in-service patrol officers and academy recruits in Basic Building Search Techniques Training, Riot Control Tactics, Active Shooter Response Training and Basic/Advanced SWAT Training.
In 2008, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. In the following years he supervised officers assigned to the North Precinct, North Task Force, Freeway Patrol Unit, Warrant Detail, Hit and Run Unit, Burglary Unit Detectives, Auto Theft Unit Detectives, and Internal Affairs Division Investigators. While assigned as a sergeant to the Tactical Operations Unit he served as a SWAT Instructor and Operator, Entry Team Leader, and Bomb Squad Commander/Technician. Pruitt was often requested to instruct Birmingham Police Academy Recruits, Birmingham Police Explorers, and Citizen Police Academy classes in various policing subject matters.
After being promoted in 2019 to the rank of Lieutenant, he served as West Precinct Evening Shift Watch Commander. In 2020, he was assigned to the Birmingham Police Academy and served as the Academy Director, he also managed the Personnel Hiring Unit and Firing Range Operations. In 2021, he was reassigned and served as Executive Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Special Operations Bureau. In 2022, he was promoted to the rank of Captain and served as Commander of the Special Enforcement Division comprised of the Vice Narcotics Unit and Crime Reduction Team (CRT).
In April of 2023, Pruitt was appointed by Mayor Randall Woodfin to serve as Deputy Chief of the Patrol Bureau which is the largest bureau within the Birmingham Police Department.