Betty Gamble

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Betty Gamble (born 1944) was Birmingham's first black policewoman and later the police chief of Fairfield.

Biography

A graduate of Parker High School, Gamble joined the Birmingham Police Department in 1973 at the age of 29. By the mid-1990s, she had attained the rank of captain and was in charge of BPD's internal affairs department. She retired from BPD in 1999 after 25 years on the force.

Gamble then became police chief of the Fairfield Police Department. In April 2003 she was temporarily suspended for five days with pay by Fairfield Mayor Charles Willis for "infractions of rules within the Police Department." The Fairfield City Council, over the objection of Willis, then put her on indefinite administrative leave. She was reinstated within two weeks after Willis took the matter to court.

In July 2005, Gamble was fired by Mayor Michael Johnson and the City Council, who accused her of dereliction of duty and failing to meet state police officer standards. Captain Pat Mardis was named her successor. Gamble appealed the matter to the Personnel Board of Jefferson County, winning reinstatement in November 2006, putting Fairfield in the situation of having two police chiefs. Gamble was initially put on paid leave and then given an assignment other than the duties of police chief.

Shortly before her termination, Gamble had broken an ankle and injured a knee. Although she wished to retire because of the effect of these injuries on her health, she refused to do so until the matter of her termination was settled with Fairfield. In March 2007, the two parties reached a settlement, exonerating her and providing a cash settlement. Gamble then filed for disability retirement.

Preceded by:
? 		Chief of Fairfield Police Department
1999–2005 		Succeeded by:
Pat Mardis

References

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