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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis announces he is running for mayor of Hoover in the parking lot of the Patton Creek shopping center in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, March 17, 2025. Beside him is his wife, Stephanie.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Jefferson County Commissioner and former Alabama Supreme Court Associate Justice Mike Bolin shakes the hand of Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis as Derzis announces he is running for mayor of Hoover in the parking lot of the Patton Creek shopping center in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, March 17, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis announces he is running for mayor of Hoover in the parking lot of the Patton Creek shopping center in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, March 17, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis greets people who showed up for his announcement that he is running for mayor of Hoover in the parking lot of the Patton Creek shopping center in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, March 17, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
People listen as Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis announces he is running for mayor of Hoover in the parking lot of the Patton Creek shopping center in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, March 17, 2025.
Surrounded by more than 200 people in the parking lot of the Patton Creek shopping center, Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis on Monday officially announced he is running for mayor of Hoover.
Derzis, who has been with the Hoover Police Department for more than 45 years and served as police chief for more than 20 years, said he’s had the privilege of watching Hoover transform from a small suburb on the outskirts of Birmingham to one of the largest and most dynamic communities in the state.
He remembers times when the city was thriving and full of energy and opportunity, but today it feels a little bit different, Derzis said.
“Instead of excitement, I hear some frustration. Instead of opportunity, I see missed chances, or worse, maybe opportunities that weren’t envisioned,” Derzis said. “Instead of answers, sometimes we get silence. Instead of leadership, sometimes we get confusion.”
He remembers a time when other cities looked to Hoover as a model for how things should be done, and he wants to bring that mentality back, he said.
City leaders sometimes struggle with basic responsibilities, like garbage pickup, let alone major projects that would define Hoover for a lifetime, Derzis said. “They don’t know the right questions to ask or even sometimes who to call,” he said.
Derzis said that, as police chief, he has adapted to change and embraced new technologies but never lost sight of the residents of Hoover, whom he serves.
“Hoover needs leadership that innovates, not stagnates. Leadership that listens, not manipulates. Leadership that plans, not reacts,” Derzis said.
“Hoover feels tired,” Derzis said, noting he chose to announce his candidacy for mayor in the Patton Creek shopping center because of all the empty storefronts in the shopping center.
“This is what tired looks like, and this is what lack of vision looks like, and the worst part, I don’t know if there’s a plan to fix it,” Derzis said. “No vision of what Hoover can and should be, but it doesn’t have to be this way. … Hoover’s a great city. We need strong, accountable leadership to ensure that it remains that way.”
Derzis said the city needs leadership that prioritizes safety, manages the city’s finances wisely and restores trust in city government.
The chief said he has spent his career making tough decisions, managing the department of the city with the largest budget, and valuing each member of the department, and he’s ready to take that style of leadership to the city as a whole.
Derzis said his priorities will be to keep Hoover one of the safest cities in the state and make Hoover’s schools the best in the state.
“As mayor, I’ll continue to work with educators and community leaders to ensure that our children get the resources that they need,” he said. “Every taxpayer dollar should be accounted for, should be spent wisely, used to improve our city, not wasted on some spending that sometimes people consider backroom deals.”
Derzis also said a lot of people have concerns about transparency with the current administration, and he wants to work hand in hand with the City Council, hold regular town hall meetings and ensure that every resident has a voice in shaping the city’s future.
Derzis said he loves being police chief and he didn’t really have a plan to run for mayor, but people began encouraging him to do so seven or eight months ago. He dismissed it at first, but as more people whom he respected asked him to do it and said they would support him, he decided to do it.
But “this campaign is not about me,” Derzis said. “It’s about all of us — the residents, the families, businesses, teachers, first responders, everyone who calls Hoover home. We’re going to build something strong, something real, something lasting, and it starts today.”
Numerous current and former leaders were at Derzis’ press conference, including former Hoover Mayor and Jefferson County Manager Tony Petelos, former Hoover Executive Director Allen Pate, Hoover Councilmen Steve McClinton and Sam Swiney, former Hoover Councilman John Greene, former Hoover fire Chief Chuck Wingate, former Hoover Chief Financial Officer Robert Yeager, former Hoover Tourism Director Tynette Lynch, former Hoover school board Presidents Craig Kelley and Earl Cooper and Jefferson County Commissioner and retired Alabama Supreme Court Justice Mike Bolin.
Petelos said he was the one who first appointed Derzis as police chief 20 years ago and likes the work he has done and will be supporting him in the mayor’s race because he thinks he would do a good job as mayor.
Pate said he thinks Derzis would be a good mayor because he has strong leadership abilities and a personality that works well with people. He also agrees that people don’t look to Hoover as the standard of how things should be done like they once did, and he thinks Derzis could help restore that.
Derzis said that, in accordance with state law, he will take vacation from his job from the end of the qualifying period to run for office on June 24 until the election. If he wins, he could continue to serve as police chief until taking over as mayor in November. If he loses, it would be up to whoever wins to determine if he continues to serve as police chief, he said.
As of now, the only other declared candidate is current Mayor Frank Brocato, who said in December he plans to seek a third term.
Brocato, when asked for a response to Derzis' decision to run and comments made by Derzis, issued a written statement saying that Hoover is a strong, vibrant city and one of the top communities in Alabama for families.
"Our schools consistently rank among the best both locally and nationally, and our economy continues to grow with a strong vision for the future," Brocato said. "The progress we've made hasn't happened by accident — it has taken leadership, dedication and a community on engaged citizens who care deeply about our city.
"Serving Hoover has been the greatest honor of my life — first as the city's first fire marshal and paramedic, and now as mayor," Brocato said. "We've come a long way, but there's still work to do. I'm excited to continue moving Hoover forward and ensuring it remains a great place to live, work and raise a family."
The city election is Aug. 26. The official qualifying period is June 10-24.
Editor's note: This story was updated with a comment from Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato at 8:52 p.m.
