Talladega’s first female police chief to retire, cites lack of support from city council

TALLADEGA, Ala. ( WIAT ) — Talladega’s first female police chief is retiring from her position after a little over two years on the job.

Chief Diane Thomas’ last day on the job will be July 31. She shared after more than three decades in law enforcement why she’s decided to retire now.

“Clearly, I was not the choice for chief of police for many of you all because you never supported me,” Thomas said during an address to the Talladega City Council on July 8. “You never gave me a fair chance. You never had my back.”

Thomas did not mince words when announcing why she was stepping down as police chief at the city council meeting.

While she said the council did approve her department’s budget requests, she said it failed to support her in her new role as chief of police. She was selected for the position after serving as the assistant police chief in Prattville.

“We’ve lowered the crime,” Thomas said. “We’ve increased on traffic enforcement. We’ve made a lot of arrests.”

She said she’s hired 23 new patrol officers after losing a number of officers. She said the department has worked to mend relationships in the community.

Thomas said she had three strikes against her from the get-go, which included being an outsider and a woman in a male-dominated field.

“Being not just a female in the field, but a female that’s in charge, and then being Black,” Thomas said.

“Some people had a problem with being supervised by a Black woman,” Thomas continued. “That’s how I felt.”

Lifelong Talladega resident Benjamin Garrett said he’s sad to see Thomas go.

“She’s done everything that she could to move this city forward,” Garrett said, “and I just believe that the city council needs to step up and supporting those that are in leadership in Talladega County.”

In her July 8 announcement to the Talladega City Council, Thomas thanked mayor Ashton Hall and city manager Derrick Swanson for their support. She also thanked councilman Steve Dickerson for speaking out on her behalf

CBS 42 News reached out to all five city council members for comment on the chief’s decision to retire, talking with three by phone. Talladega City Council President Betty Spratlin and Hugh Sims said, “No comment.” Swanson did present a statement.

“We sincerely appreciate all that Chief Thomas has contributed to the Talladega Police Department and the City of Talladega,” Swanson stated. “She is an outstanding leader who clearly demonstrated her dedication and commitment to our community. We wish her the very best as she prepares to embark on an exciting new journey.”

The chief said life after July 31 includes working for Central Alabama Crime Stoppers, mentoring at-risk youth and spending more time with her grandson.

Her retirement party is planned for July 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the council chambers at Talladega City Hall.

Thomas said the highlight of her career was being selected from Prattville for a 10-week training program at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, in 2015.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.