Arlington names interim police chief

ARLINGTON, Ga. (WALB) - City leaders in Arlington went in executive session Tuesday for nearly an hour, to determine who their interim police chief would be.

City council members named Keisha Flemmings as the new interim police chief of Arlington. She is also the chief of police in Leary.

The mayor said he just wants the job done right.

“Just do your job, do what you get paid to do, uphold the law,” said Mayor Raymond Williams.

These are the expectations for the next Chief of Police for the city of Arlington.

Mayor Raymond Williams and council members appointed and began the search for a new police chief after they say they were blindsided by the resignation of former Chief Donald Bryant.

"I was shocked,” said Williams.

The professional relationship between Williams and Bryant has been strained for the past several months, with the firing and re-hiring of Bryant of several occasions.

In Bryant’s resignation letter he said “The mayor continues to try and incriminate me...”

"I disagree with it, wholeheartedly. It’s not true,” said Williams, who says he’s done nothing wrong.

“I don’t pick at no one. I don’t intimidate, harass or anything," said Williams.

Now the police department is short staffed once again.

“Hopefully, wholeheartedly, we’ll select the interim chief that we appoint,” stated Williams.

Williams said, at the end of the day, he believes the city is headed in the right direction.

“Like I said before, I can work with anyone... I can work with a dog... as long as he don’t bite me,” he concluded.

The position for a permanent chief will be posted in the local newspaper for two to four weeks, after which council members will review applications, before ultimately voting in a new police chief.