A Tuscaloosa police major with nearly 25 years of experience with the department was promoted to assistant chief, the city’s top cop announced Friday.

Assistant Chief Heath Clark, 49, who was hired by the Tuscaloosa Police Department as a patrol officer in September 1998, replaces Mitt Tubbs, who served in the position since 2004 and retired.

Clark’s promotion, which went into effect Feb. 24, was announced Friday by Tuscaloosa Police Chief Brent Blankley. Clark is one of two new assistant chiefs in the department.

In his assistant chief role, Clark oversees the department’s Uniformed Services, the largest division that includes all of patrol and traffic enforcement. His other duties include supervision of dispatch, interstate crime enforcement, records and logistics.

“Chief Clark’s administrative and street-level policing experience, along with his institutional knowledge of the department and this city made him the right choice for this position,” Blankley said.

Clark served as a training officer and was later assigned to the Charlie Unit, a specialized unit to combat street- level narcotics, gang and violent crime. He went on to serve as a patrol sergeant, lieutenant and captain. Clark assumed the position of Major over Uniformed Services on March 27, 2020.

He was also a member of the department’s SWAT team from 2001 to 2023, including the last three years as assistant commander.

“I’m thankful to Chief Blankley and Mayor Maddox for this opportunity to serve the citizens of Tuscaloosa and the men and women of TPD. I look forward to helping Chief continue down the path of making the police department not only the best at what we do for the citizens of Tuscaloosa, but also ensuring it the best department for officers and staff to work.”