Jack Lumpkin. Photo courtesy City of Savannah

Savannah and Chatham County will get a new police chief next month. The city announced today it’s hiring Jack Lumpkin of the Athens-Clarke County police.

Savannah-Chatham Police have faced increased scrutiny in recent months following a rash of gun violence over the summer and the fatal shooting last month of a man in police custody.

Lumpkin says when it comes to reducing violence, the community, police, and government share the responsibility. “You have to build that trust," he says, "in order to get individuals within the community to provide those citizenship responsibilities that are inherent on all of us.”

The police department faces an uncertain future as the city and county renegotiate the merger that governs their shared police force. Chatham County has given notice it will dissolve the merger if the parties can’t reach an agreement. Lumpkin says he’ll do his job as police chief regardless of what the City and County decide. “I do not have any authority over the elected bodies," he says, "and I will work cooperatively with the elected bodies of the city and county.”

The previous police chief resigned amid controversy last year and now faces gambling and conspiracy charges.

Lumpkin will be sworn in as Savannah’s new chief next month.

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