Former Police Chief Becomes First Black Army Reserve Lt. General

BIRMINGHAM, AL — With a wealth of experience in the military and law enforcement, former Birmingham police chief A.C. Roper has become the first Black Army Reserve Lieutenant General. Roper was officially promoted to Lieutenant General and Deputy Commander of the U.S. Northern Command.

Roper had served in law enforcement for more than 30 years, including a 10-year tenure as the Birmingham police chief. Roper retired from the Birmingham PD in 2017.

While with the Hoover Police Department, Roper was deployed to Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield, and to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Roper was commissioned in 1983 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His military education includes the Chemical Officer Basic and Advance Courses (Honor Graduate of both), Public Affairs Officers Course, Equal Opportunity Advisors Course (Commandant's Award), Inspector General Course, Combined Arms Staff Services School, Command and General Staff College (Commandant's List), the US Army War College, the Joint Senior Reserve Component Officer Course, the Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) Course, the National Defense University's CAPSTONE Course, the NORTHCOM Joint Task Force Commanders Course and Harvard University’s National & International Security Seminar.

He earned a Master of Science from the University of Alabama and a Master in Strategic Studies from the US Army War College.

He is also a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy, the FBI National Executive Institute, and also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Criminal Justice.