Residents may voice their opinions regarding the Mayor’s appointment of Chief Stoney Mathis by emailing Mayor Skip Henderson directly at SkipHenderson@columbusga.org, while cc’ing their respective city council members on the email.
COLUMBUS, Ga. — One month after former chief of police Freddie Blackmon signed a severance agreement with the city and was relieved of all duties, Mayor Skip Henderson has appointed a new interim chief of police to CPD.
The appointment comes one month to the day after Henderson infamously stated the department would have a new chief in ‘a day or two.’ Within that time, the department has experienced intentional sabotage during what was essentially a staged coup by one of CPD’s assistant chiefs who sought a hostile takeover of the department. The actions remain without accountability.
The news also comes just days after city councilors began publicly voicing their sincere concerns for the mayor’s lack of action while the department continued to erode at the behest of one assistant chief and her extortionary threats against the city.
Now, after four weeks without a chief, our city’s police officers finally have the leadership they deserve.
Chief Stoney Mathis, former vice president of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, has now been announced as the city’s new top cop. He will serve as the interim chief throughout the duration of the city’s search for a permanent chief. Mathis will begin his service immediately, with his first day on Monday, May 8, 2023.
A PROVEN TRACK RECORD
Mathis’ credentials and proven track record aren't only particularly impressive, but appear to specifically match the needs of Columbus.
With 30 years of law enforcement experience — 20 of them in command staff — Mathis has been continuously recognized for his outstanding communication skills, approachability, leadership, and dedication to proactive policing.
Though Mathis began his career with the Monroe Police Department in 1993, Mathis quickly moved to Henry County where his patrol time began in 1995. After being promoted to Captain in 2002, he took command of the Henry County Drug Task Force.
Mathis’ experience in Henry County during that time frame gave him the gang-related policing experience our city now desperately needs at the head of our city’s police force.
When Mathis was promoted to Major in 2005, he then took over the department’s Uniform Patrol Division. After five years, Mathis was selected for appointment as the Deputy Chief of Police.
Six years later in 2016, Mathis was appointed as the Chief of Police of the City of Chattahoochee Hills. While in his first tenure as chief, Mathis developed and executed several community policing initiatives, likely stemming from experiences and insights he gained from his earlier years working patrol in Henry County’s gang-heavy environment.
Just two years later, Mathis was again in a different city, this time as Chief of the Fairburn Police Department. In the four years Mathis served as Chief from 2018-2022, the Fairburn Police Department was able to reduce crime by an astonishing 52%.
Though Mathis has bounced around a lot, his broad range of environments and experiences are in fact a rare strength; they have provided him with a unique perspective and extensive toolbox for objectively setting the stage for solving our city’s gang-related violent crime.
Mathis also holds the following academic degrees, professional certifications.
Mathis also most recently served as the Vice President of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police after winning an election of his peers and colleagues.
A RUN FOR OFFICE
According to public records, Mathis also ran for public office as a Republican candidate in the 2022 election for the Georgia House of Representatives’ District 68. After an unopposed primary election, Mathis received 37.4% of the general vote while his opponent, Tish Naghise (D) received 62.6% of the vote in the general election.
Mathis’ run for the Georgia House saw him campaigning for stronger support for law enforcement, a closure of the southern border to stop human trafficking and drug infiltration, and an improvement of infrastructure in his district’s Fulton County.
According to the same source, Mathis remains passionate about reducing crime, lowering the perceived fear of crime, and improving the quality of life for all Americans.
A WELCOMING CITY
We at the Muckraker look forward to watching Chief Mathis’ success as he empowers our city’s officers to build the department that they — as well as our city — deserve.
Time will tell.
You can view the full press release from the office of Mayor Henderson below:
Residents may voice their opinions regarding the Mayor’s appointment of Chief Stoney Mathis by emailing Mayor Skip Henderson directly at SkipHenderson@columbusga.org, while cc’ing their respective city council members on the email.
And when you’re out and about, don’t forget to thank a police officer.
Facts are stubborn things — and we’ll keep publishing them, whether city officials like them or not.
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