Former Mobile Police Chief Dies

Former Mobile Police Chief Harold L. Johnson has died. He was 66 years old.

By: Jamie Burch | WKRG-TV
Published: May 22, 2008

Former Mobile Police Chief Harold L. Johnson died Thursday morning at a local hospital.

Johnson made history in 1990 when he became the city's first and only black police chief. He served as chief until 1996 when he retired because of heart trouble. Deputy Chief Sam Cochran was chosen as his replacement. After Cochran retired and was elected Mobile County Sheriff, Phillip Garrett became Mobile's police chief.

“(Johnson) made a tremendous impact on public safety, and the level of professionalism in our police department,” said Mobile Mayor Sam Jones. “He was a good man, well respected in his profession and the City of Mobile. He demanded the very best from police officers and employees. His leadership and dedication will be sadly missed.”

After retiring from the police department, Johnson acted as a police consultant for Bishop State Community College advising the president of the college on public safety issues.

In 1998, the city council voted unanimously to rename the Police Headquarters on Government Street in Johnson's honor.

Johnson is credited with working with the Mobile City Council to hire more officers, essentially doubling the size of the department. He also helped establish the mounted patrol, the multi-law enforcement unit that works with the FBI and a police precinct in public housing projects.

“He was a friend, mentor and somebody I respected,” said Sammie Brown, the former Police Chief for Prichard. “He led by example and I will miss him.”

Johnson is survived by his wife of 49 years, Beverly Ann Edwards, three children and three grandchildren.

Harold Johnson was 66 years old.

Bio
*Born Aug. 11, 1941, in Detroit.
*Served in the U.S. Navy from 1958 to 1961. Received an honorable discharge.
*Married the former Beverly Edwards, a New Orleans native. They are parents of three children - who are now adults - and grandparents of three.
*Joined the Detroit Police Department on April 27, 1964.
*Received a leave of absence from the Detroit Police from 1985 to 1987 to serve as public safety director in Highland Park, Mich.
*Retired Sept. 30, 1988, from Detroit as precinct commander.
*Served as Ecorse, Mich., police chief from Oct. 1, 1988, to Jan. 31, 1990.
*On Jan. 3, 1990, the Mobile City Council approved the hiring of Johnson as police chief and Reuben Greenburg, chief of the Charleston, S.C., Police Department, as Mobile's public safety director. They became the first blacks to hold such positions in Mobile.
*Began as chief of Mobile Police Department, Feb. 1, 1990.
*Retired on disability June 27, 1996, from the Mobile Police Department
(courtesy: Mayor Sam Jones' Office)