City of Talladega Blog

(Talladega, AL) Talladega Police Chief Ronald McElrath was sworn into office by Judge Mark Nelson on September 29, 2025, in the council chamber at city hall. 

Chief McElrath has been a valued member of the Talladega Police Department (TPD) for over two decades. He began his career with TPD in 2001 as a jailer. In 2002, he attended the Northeast Alabama Law Enforcement Academy and became a police officer. He was promoted to patrol sergeant in 2010. He successfully worked his way through the ranks and served as patrol lieutenant before being named captain of operations in 2023. The Coosa Valley native also served in the US Navy Reserves for 10 years as a hospital corpsman and participated in Desert Storm. 

On August 1, 2024, he was named interim police chief. At a time when police departments nationwide faced challenges recruiting and retaining new officers, Chief McElrath successfully implemented initiatives that helped grow and strengthen TPD.

The police officer swearing-in ceremony was made more celebratory, and family and friends were invited to honor officers and let them know that they are valued. Additionally, during McElrath’s tenure as interim chief, TPD sought and secured grants and other funding to assist officers in better serving the community; the department solved a number of high profile cases that increased community confidence in the department; and applications for officers increased. 

Chief McElrath looks forward to continuing to strengthen the department, stating, “Serving and protecting the community is among my top priorities.”