As 2025 comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to revisit some of the stories that resonated most across Mountain Brook. These aren’t just top clicks or biggest headlines — they’re pieces that captured something real about the people, places and moments that defined the year.
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Jaye Loggins, Chief of Police for the Mountain Brook Police Department, retired form his role on March 1, 2025 after 29 years with the department. He began his law enforcement career with MBPD in 1996 and has served in and supervised every division within the department and became Chief in October of 2021.
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Submitted photo
Jaye Loggins, Chief of Police for the Mountain Brook Police Department, retired form his role on March 1, 2025 after 29 years with the department. He began his law enforcement career with MBPD in 1996 and has served in and supervised every division within the department and became Chief in October of 2021.
When Jaye Loggins decided to take the police entrance exam on a whim, he never imagined a lifelong career in law enforcement. In fact, he only took the test because his roommate was going, and he had nothing else to do that day.
Submitted photo
Jaye Loggins, Chief of Police for the Mountain Brook Police Department, retired form his role on March 1, 2025 after 29 years with the department. He began his law enforcement career with MBPD in 1996 and has served in and supervised every division within the department and became Chief in October of 2021.
To his surprise, Loggins scored exceptionally high and caught the attention of the Mountain Brook Police Department. He joined MBPD in 1996 after completing the Alabama Advanced Criminal Justice Academy at the Montgomery Police Department. Now, after spending his entire 29-year career in Mountain Brook, Loggins is retiring as the department’s chief of police.
“Got here, and I can remember thinking, ‘What have I done?’ And then, ‘I’ll do this until I figure out what I really want to do,’” Loggins said. “I was 23 years old and straight out of college — actually hadn’t finished yet.
I was in my senior year in education. I had done student teaching, and I changed my major once I got in [to policing]. About week 10 in the academy, I fell in love with it and knew this is what I wanted to do.”
Loggins began his career as a patrol officer, serving in that role for six years before moving into investigations. He was also a long-standing member of the Tactical Operations Unit, where he received advanced training at the federal, state and local levels as a certified tactical operator.
Over the years, Loggins held numerous roles, including juvenile officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, captain and deputy chief. He was named Officer of the Year twice during his career. Some of his most memorable experiences include investigating a large embezzlement case and working with the Irondale Police Department to arrest and convict a repeat sexual offender.
His experience serving and supervising in every division within the department culminated in October 2021 when he became chief of police.
“I just really invested myself early on to learn the job and learn to do it well,” Loggins said. “I sought out people to make me better. I was fortunate to have some here, and then I had some outside as well. And I just wanted to be the best I could be at it. Cliché, but I had a coach in college whose motto was, ‘Strive to be the best,’ and I’ve taken that and applied it to everything I’ve ever done.”
Under Loggins’ leadership, MBPD implemented a take-home vehicle program, transitioned dispatch services to Shelby County 911, expanded the award-winning School Resource Officer team, created the city’s Special Needs Alert Program and built a strong partnership with Mountain Brook Schools. The department also adopted advanced investigative technology, earned the 2024 Safest Cities award from SmartHomes.org and invested in community relations through events like Community Night Out.
Jaye Loggins, Chief of Police for the Mountain Brook Police Department, retired form his role on March 1, 2025 after 29 years with the department. He began his law enforcement career with MBPD in 1996 and has served in and supervised every division within the department and became Chief in October of 2021.
“Jaye has been a very good chief,” City Manager Sam Gaston said. “He leads by example and is a great communicator. I appreciate his long service to our Police Department and our city. He will be missed, but we wish him the best in this next chapter of his life.”
Even before becoming chief, Loggins made an impact by educating and mentoring younger officers.
“I wanted the guys and girls to be on my shift because they wanted to work for me — not because they could do whatever they wanted, but because they knew I’d be right there beside them,” Loggins said. “I had good people invest in me over the years, and I’ve tried to do the same for others.”
Loggins watched the department grow and evolve alongside the city, saying it began adopting a more business-oriented approach and working closely with City Hall to secure funding for new initiatives and additional personnel around the time he was promoted to captain.
When former Chief Ted Cook saw Loggins’ growing impact, he began preparing him to take over, despite Loggins’ initial reluctance.
“My first day as captain, I told him I didn’t want to be chief, but he kept dragging me to meetings — kicking and screaming,” Loggins said. “I didn’t want to go because I liked being deputy chief. I was behind the scenes, handling day-to-day operations, and I didn’t care to be out front. But he forced me, and I’m glad he did. He pushed me out of my comfort zone.”
Submitted photo
Jaye Loggins, Chief of Police for the Mountain Brook Police Department, retired form his role on March 1, 2025 after 29 years with the department. He began his law enforcement career with MBPD in 1996 and has served in and supervised every division within the department and became Chief in October of 2021.
Loggins, who lives by the motto “always strive to be the best,” was no stranger to challenges, but he credits his mentors, colleagues and family for supporting him along the way.
His wife, Shelly, has been by his side from the beginning of his career. The couple met during his second week in law enforcement and have raised three daughters together.
As Loggins retired on March 1, he’s confident MBPD is in good hands and looks forward to relaxing and exploring new opportunities.
“I just got to thinking, ‘Yeah, the department is in a good place.’ I think it’s in the best place it’s been in a long time,” Loggins said. “We are up to speed in personnel. The direction that the department is headed is, I think, defined, and I think it will continue in that direction. We’ve done a lot of good things. Our relationship with the community is great, schools are great, and our relationship with City Hall is great. … It’s a good time to go.”
The City Council will select a new chief of police from a list of qualified candidates provided by the Personnel Board of Jefferson County.
