Albert Eugene Ballard

Birmingham Police Dept. — Birmingham, AL

Felonious

End of Watch November 29, 1979

Age 47

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

The Vigil Panel 122 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 48

Incident

Sergeant Albert Ballard was shot and killed by a bank robbery suspect at 2nd Avenue and 19th Street North in downtown Birmingham. Sergeant Ballard was on patrol when he pulled to the curb and called a potential suspect over to his patrol car. The suspect shot Sergeant Ballard at point-blank range, killing him. The suspect was pursued by Birmingham officers and U.S. Marshals and was shot after firing at two officers. The suspect was wanted in connection to another bank robbery in Atlanta. The handgun used against Sergeant Ballard was the same handgun that was taken from a slain Atlanta bank guard. On May 25, 1985, after three mistrials, the suspect was convicted of murdering Sergeant Ballard and sentenced to life without parole. Sergeant Ballard had served with the Birmingham Police Department for 20 years and was killed two days before he was to retire.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AL-82AF2F4A
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

20 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Ballard gave the Birmingham Police Department 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Birmingham community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Ballard.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Birmingham Police Dept.

Location Birmingham, AL

Platform Identity birmpd.jefferson.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 29, 1979

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Age 47

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Sentenced to life

Sergeant Albert Eugene Ballard is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Birmingham Police Dept., 34 of 49 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this agency's fallen.

Birmingham Police Dept.

of 49 officers

69.4% Felonious

AL — Statewide

405

of 643 officers

63% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious