Irondale has a new top cop, and Mayor Tommy Joe Alexander will formally announce his hiring at tonight’s city council meeting.

Alexander told AL.com this evening he has hired Homewood police Lt. Ken Atkinson as the city’s new police chief. Atkinson will take over for former Chief Jerry McIntosh, who retired April 1 after nearly 40 years as a sworn police officer and 11 years as Irondale’s chief.

Atkinson has at least 25 years of experience in law enforcement. He joined the Birmingham Police Department in 1990 and served for three years before moving to the Homewood Police Department, where he has been ever since.

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