DeKalb Gets New Public Safety Chief

DECATUR, GA — DeKalb County has a new officer in charge of police, fire and other public safety services.

Joseph "Jack" H. Lumpkin has been named the new deputy chief operating officer of public safety, DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond announced Friday. Lumpkin will take over the roll effective Jan. 28.

In the role, Lumpkin will be responsible for police, fire rescue, animal control, emergency management, 911 and medical examiner services. Lumpkin currently serves as the chief of the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department.

"Chief Lumpkin has built a stellar leadership record in law enforcement in Georgia and across the country," Thurmond said. "He will enhance DeKalb’s public safety departments which will help make the county safer and improve quality of life."

Lumpkin will be responsible for leading approximately 1,600 employees with a total 2018

budget of nearly $201 million.

According to Thurmond, his responsibilities also will include:

• Improving police services by recruiting and hiring 248 new officers.
• Strengthening relations with the community by continuing the development of the police mental health roundtable, youth crime prevention initiatives and outreach to multilingual communities.
• Enhancing coordination and communications for emergency and disaster responses.
• Administering more than $85 million in special-purpose local-option sales tax funds over the next six years for improving public safety facilities and capital projects focused on replacing and constructing new fire stations and police facilities.

Lumpkin brings more than 40 years of experience in law enforcement including police chief positions in Toccoa, Albany, Athens-Clark County, and most recently Savannah-Chatham County. He serves on the board of directors of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

He previously served as a vice president for the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Officers (NOBLE). The Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police recognized Lumpkin as Peace Officer of the Year in
2014 and he was recognized by Georgia NOBLE in 2003 as Police Officer of the Year.

Lumpkin received degrees from Brenau University and Columbus State University and is a graduate of Leadership Georgia as well as leadership programs in Toccoa, Albany and Savannah. He also is a 2017 graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) National Executive Institute, which is designed for senior FBI and heads of local, state, federal and international agencies with over 500 sworn officers.

Photo courtesy DeKalb County