Glynn County names new police chief

John Powell had served as interim chief for 4 months

Alan Ours

BRUNSWICK, Ga. – The man who has run the Glynn County Police Department since the retirement of Chief Matt Doering in September will keep the job.

Glynn County Manager Alan Ours on Tuesday named John Powell as chief of the Glynn County Police Department, effective immediately.

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The county hired Powell two years ago as Director of Community Services. In that job, he managed and supervised Fire, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Management/Homeland Security, Animal Control, and Recreation and Parks.

“I am proud to announce the selection of John Powell as the chief of the Glynn County Police Department," Ours said. "As interim chief, Mr. Powell has shown exceptional leadership during this time of transition while directing the department through Hurricane Irma and facilitating the Operations and Management Study being completed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police."

Prior working with Glynn County, Powell had worked in law enforcement management and has served as a law enforcement, public safety, and security consultant at the local, national and international level.  He was previously employed as the director of the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Powell has also served as police chief for Dothan, Alabama, Wilson, North Carolina, and Hartsville, South Carolina.  Powell holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and masters of Public Administration and is certified as a peace officer in the state of Georgia.  He is also a graduate of the FBI Academy as a Special Agent with FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (LEEDS) training, and he has maintained police officer certification since 1984.