Burlington’s police department has announced the selection of Alan Balog as the new assistant chief in charge of its operations bureau.
A veteran police officer with 17 years of law enforcement experience, Balog was officially tapped for this high-ranking opening on April 30. This post, which is one of the department’s two assistant chief slots, had been vacant since October, when the previous incumbent, Brian Long, was named as Burlington’s new chief of police.
In a formal statement on Wednesday, Long had high praise for his successor over the agency’s operations bureau.
“I am excited to begin working with Burlington native assistant chief Balog in his new role,” the police chief declared. “His prior experiences, strong relationships fostered, and respect within our community provide the department great momentum for the future.”
In its announcement of Balog’s promotion, the city’s police department noted that the newly-minted assistant chief clinched his position in a “competitive” and “challenging” review process that screened candidates for several executive-level posts.
Balog had been something of a rising star in the department’s ranks even before his promotion to the assistant chief’s post. During his decade or so with the department, Balog has held a number of supervisory roles, including the oversight of its professional standards division.
The future assistant police chief also received some statewide recognition in 2018 when the N.C. Police Executives Association named him its law enforcement executive of the year.
A native of Alamance County, Balog is the son of retired superior court judge Steve Balog and his wife Susan of Burlington.
