Photo courtesy of Mountain Brook Police Department.
Thomas Boulware pays respects at a remembrance ceremony for Sgt. Freddie Harp in August 2024.
Just over two months into the job, Thomas Boulware is settling in as Mountain Brook’s new police chief — following more than 20 years of service within the department.
Boulware was selected unanimously by the Mountain Brook City Council from among four internal candidates and a handful of others who applied for the position. His appointment followed a multi-round interview process involving Mayor Stewart Welch, City Manager Sam Gaston, Assistant City Manager and Finance Director Steve Boone, and council members Gerald Garner and Graham Smith. The top two candidates met with the full council before the final vote.
Boulware, a Mountain Brook native, officially assumed the role during the April 14 council meeting.
“I'm proud to have seen this department growing up and interacting with Mountain Brook officers. They had an impact on my life growing up, and I was no angel,” Boulware said with a laugh. “A few officers early in my days had an impact on me, and so it's nice to be a part of this organization now. The chiefs before me left a legacy of excellence, and they really have done a great job with this department. I just hope that I can uphold that tradition going forward.”
Photo courtesy of Mountain Brook Police Department.
Mayor Stewart Welch pins Chief Thomas Boulware at his swearing in ceremony on April 15.
A career grounded in service
Boulware’s path to law enforcement began after his service in the United States Marine Corps, where he rose to the rank of sergeant and completed multiple deployments as a squad leader with the 1st Battalion 8th Marines and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). After leaving the military in 1999, he enrolled at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, earning a degree in Justice Sciences while beginning his career with MBPD.
Over the years, Boulware has held a variety of roles within the department, including patrol officer, tactical team leader, detective and training and hiring sergeant. He has served as a supervisor in all three divisions of the department.
After being promoted to lieutenant in 2020, Boulware led the Administrative Division, overseeing the department’s transition to Shelby County’s 911 dispatch, implementing new records software and managing facility upgrades. Most recently, he served as commander of the Criminal Investigations Division.
Throughout his career, Boulware has remained committed to ongoing training and professional development. He holds numerous certifications, including Tactical Operator, Computer Voice Stress Analyzer Advanced Examiner and Internal Affairs Investigator. He is also a recipient of the FBI-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association Trilogy Award and has completed extensive coursework through the Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police’s Certified Law Enforcement Executive Program.
A leader shaped by experience
Boulware attributes much of his leadership approach to his time in the Marine Corps, and he’s excited for the continued leadership opportunities in his new role.
“The officers here work diligently with a goal of being excellent in everything they do, and I enjoy watching them work,” Boulware said, “but what I'm most excited about is having a hand in developing the future of law enforcement for this department.”
Among his proudest accomplishments are cases involving justice for victims of juvenile and financial crimes, many of which required months or even years of investigation.
“When you have somebody that's in a very bad spot or faced trauma or had something done to them, is the victim of a crime, and you can help them get justice for what's happened to them — it's very fulfilling,” he said.
Looking ahead, Boulware said residents shouldn’t expect sweeping changes under his leadership.
“If there's any change, it's going to be slow and incremental because what we're doing is working,” he said. “Chief Cook, Chief Loggins, before me, really made a lot of changes in the department. We're community oriented, and we're also very proactive in how we approach crimes and how we patrol the city to make sure that we keep our crime rates down. So there will be no major sweeping changes, because what we're doing is working.”
He does plan to continue the department’s investment in technology — such as camera systems, license plate readers and digital communication tools — to enhance community safety and communication. One area of particular focus is continuing the department’s efforts to make officers more accessible to the public, which Boulware said has played a crucial role in crime prevention.
Above all, Boulware said his primary mission is clear.
“My priority is maintaining the safety and security for the citizens of Mountain Brook, because that is our No. 1 mission,” he said. “We've been very successful at it over the years. And that's not because of me, that's because of the chiefs before me and the men and women that work here. We've been very successful in that regard. It takes a lot of work to maintain that, it doesn't just happen.”
