BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The Birmingham Police Department announced Friday that it’s the first department in Alabama to rehire under the state’s rehire program for retirees. 

Assistant Birmingham Police Chief Allen Treadaway was instrumental in working to ensure the legislation was in place to provide this service for the public and retired officers that wish to return to law enforcement. 

According to the release, Officer Lawrence Billups became the first officer rehired under the plan and will start his tour of duty Monday, Nov. 12, 2018. Officer Billups was honored Friday in a small ceremony with family and fellow officers at Birmingham PD Headquarters. He was first hired with the Birmingham PD in March of 1991 until his retirement in October of 2017. 

Officer Billups will return to the familiar area of North Precinct where he last patrolled before he retired, the release states. 

“I’m excited to return and I look forward to returning to work with the public,” Officer Billups said. 

Currently, Birmingham police report the department has another 35 retired officers in the rehire process. There are 11 officers in the BPD lateral academy and 24 recruits in the Birmingham police Academy. 

“Combined, if all are successful, we’ll add an additional 71 officers to our patrol and detective operations,” Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith said in the release.

Since Chief Smith’s arrival, he has implemented several operational plans for the overall department and restructured the patrol work schedules to better meet the needs of the citizens. Birmingham Police were attracted to the BPD four day/10 hour work scheduling plan.