Albert Eugene Ballard
Agency patch
Sergeant

Albert Eugene Ballard

Birmingham Police Department — Birmingham, AL
Felonious
End of Watch November 29, 1979
Age 47
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
The Vigil Panel 122 ›
Gender Male

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

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 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

Type Other
Location Birmingham, Jefferson County, 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

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Albert is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1979, 136 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 31st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Albert was 47. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Albert had served 20 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Birmingham Police Department has 49 officers remembered here, Albert among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Sergeant Albert Eugene Ballard

Birmingham Police Department · End of Watch November 29, 1979

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 2-E

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