CAMMIE BAGLEY Executive Director

The Piedmont College Campus Police Department is currently in search of a new police chief after previous chief Chanon Pritchard resigned on August 31, 2015.

“People come and people go. I never go into the personal reasons as to why they leave,” said President Mellichamp. “I hate to see people go but everyone’s got reasons for what their priorities are.”

Until this position is filled, Richard Martin will be the acting police chief. According to an email sent out by Vice President of Administration and Finance Kenneth Jones, Martin has been a police officer since 1983 and was the police chief of campus security for several years until retiring in June 2015.

“He’s been active in law enforcement in the area for many years and so he knows all the players, not just here at Piedmont, but he knows all of the municipal police forces as well,” said Mellichamp.

As acting chief, Martin is in charge of the other Demorest officers and is responsible for scheduling officers in order to keep campus staffed 24/7, according to Mellichamp. He also acts as the liaison to the community’s police departments for Piedmont College.

The chief of police position has been advertised in area newspapers and on the Piedmont College human resources webpage, according to Mellichamp. The college is hoping to have someone on board in the next few weeks, but, as of Friday, September 16, they had only reviewed resumes, having conducted no interviews.

“I tell everybody, whether I’m looking for a police chief or someone to teach basket weaving, I want somebody whose really passionate about what they do and who really and truly understands why students are the most important thing,” said Mellichamp.

For more information about the police chief position, contact President Mellichamp or [email protected].