The process to find the Thomasville Police Department’s next Chief of Police has been narrowed down to three candidates. City Manager Alan Carson announced that the search process, which has been conducted by the Georgia Association of Police Chiefs (GAPC), is now in its final stages, and a new chief is expected to be named in the coming week. The three candidates selected as finalists are:
- Shane Harris – Major, Thomasville Police Department
- John Letteney – Chief of Police, Apex Police Department
- Mark Scott – Chief of Police, Americus Police Department
“We are appreciative of the detailed search that was conducted by the GPAC,” said Carson. “All the candidates were thoroughly tested and interviewed by the panel. I am confident that this process has provided us with a worthy candidate to lead our TPD.”
The three finalists will be introduced to the citizens of Thomasville in a public meet and greet session scheduled for Monday, October 26th at the Municipal Building from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. “Our citizens will have an opportunity to meet the candidates and learn more about their journey as lifelong law enforcement officers. It is important that the candidates interact with our citizens and provide our community with a vision for the future of TPD,” said Carson.
According to Carson, the GAPC narrowed the original list of 31 applicants down to twelve. “From the remaining twelve candidates, four withdrew their applications, and eight were tested, interviewed and rated by a panel of four police chiefs chosen by GAPC. I then conducted interviews with the top five applicants, which were completed earlier this week.”
Carson said that each of the finalists will also have time to meet with members of the Thomasville City Council on Monday. “I expect to name the future Chief of TPD by the end of next week,” said Carson. “This is a very important selection process, as our new Chief of Police will lead our department into a new era that will continue to raise the standard of community policing that has become synonymous with TPD.”
The meet and greet will be held at the Municipal Building, located at 144 East Jackson Street. The session will be held in a manner that observes active Executive Orders and Health Advisories provided by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, the Centers for Disease Control, the Department of Public Health, and local health officials in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Space will be limited and additional safety measures will be required such as, but not limited to, social distancing and temperature screenings to ensure the health and safety of event participants and the citizens of Thomasville. Citizens attending are encouraged to wear facial coverings.
For more information on the Chief of Police meet and greet, please call (229) 227-7001.