Decatur police Chief Mike Booker will retire in April after more than 30 years of service, including nearly 15 years as the city’s top cop.
The city announced his retirement plan Friday morning via a news release. Booker has been Decatur’s police chief since June 2006. Deputy Chief Scott Richards will serve as the acting police chief while the city conducts a recruitment process.
“It has been an honor and privilege to have worked with so many outstanding and professional officers during my career,” Booker said in the release. “They are some of the most dedicated and salt of the Earth people that I have ever met.”
Booker joined the police department in 1990, when the county seat of DeKalb County had roughly 17,000 residents. Since then, Decatur’s population has grown to more than 23,000 people.
During his law enforcement career, he worked nearly 10 different positions. Those roles included patrol officer, field training officer, patrol supervisor, investigator, supervisor over the criminal investigations division, instructor, patrol division commander, deputy police chief and police chief. He also oversaw the department earn state accreditation.
“Under Chief Booker’s leadership, the Decatur Police Department has grown to be one of the most highly regarded departments in Georgia, if not the southeast,” City Manager Andrea Arnold said in the release. “While Chief Booker is going to be sorely missed, I know that his legacy of integrity, empathy and selfless public service remains embedded in the culture of the department.”
The city said Booker created a “culture of community policing with emphasis on integrity, accountability and empathy,” touting that he often gave his cellphone number to residents to build trust in the community. In 2019, Booker was selected to participate in the state Police-Community Trust Initiative through the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.
“I am so thankful and appreciative of the members of this community and the partnerships and friendships that we have developed over the years,” Booker said. “They have definitely helped make our department what it is today.”
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