Decatur City Commission Appoints Scott Richards As New Police Chief

DECATUR, GA — The Decatur City Commission confirmed Monday the appointment of Scott Richards as the Police Chief for the City of Decatur.

Chief Richards began his career as a police officer with the City of Decatur in 1994 and has served with distinction in various capacities throughout his tenure, according to a news release.

He served as Deputy Police Chief starting in 2016 prior to being appointed Interim Police Chief in April 2021. Richards received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University and a Master of Public Safety Administration from Columbus State University.

Chief Richards said he is eager to get started in his new role.

“We have an amazing group of dedicated, compassionate, and empathetic employees at the police department that I am looking forward to continuing to work with to propel the department into the future through innovative technology, community policing, and 21st Century Policing initiatives,” he said in a statement.

“We will explore new and innovative community policing initiatives and will work even harder to establish trust and build relationships within our community.”

The City initiated an extensive national recruitment process upon the retirement of former Police Chief Mike Booker who served in that position for 15 years, according to the release.

“The City Commission is excited for the Police Department and our community to have Scott Richards at the helm of the Department,” Mayor Patti Garrett said. “He has been instrumental in shaping the culture of the Department that practices community policing and embodies the values of integrity, empathy, humility and trust.”