The City of Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson has selected Interim Chief Stoney Mathis to fill the position of Police Chief for the City of Columbus.

Mayor Henderson will go before the Columbus Council for approval of his selection on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, the next scheduled business meeting of the Council.

Mathis was appointed as Interim Police Chief on May 8th. As the Interim Chief, Mathis has been responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Police Department and the management and direction of a workforce of 488 sworn officer positions and 107 civilian personnel, and an annual budget of $40.2 million.

Mathis’s law enforcement career spans some 30 years of service and his last 20 years of service have been at the command level. He began his law enforcement career in 1993 with the Monroe Police Department in Monroe, Georgia. Mathis has served as Police Chief for the City of Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia and for the City of Fairburn, Georgia where he and his team reduced the crime rate by 52% even as the city saw steady growth. Mathis received his bachelor’s degree from Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, and his Master of Public Administration degree from Columbus State University. Mathis is also a graduate of the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Leadership Program, and he is the 4th Vice President of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.

“Mathis brings a new perspective to the Columbus Police Department. With his years of experience, knowledge of law enforcement, and his ability to build relationships while focusing on public safety will enhance the operations and the delivery of public safety for the citizens of Columbus,” said Henderson.

The city conducted a national search to fill the Police Chief position. The recruitment process was highly competitive, and the leading applicants went through an extensive selection process resulting in Stoney Mathis being the recommended candidate.

“I am excited about the opportunity to join the Public Safety team to serve and protect the citizens of Columbus. It is an honor to work with the fine people at the Columbus Police Department and all Public Safety for the betterment of Columbus. I look forward to working with the Mayor, Administration, the Council and the community”, said Mathis.

Mathis was born in Andrews NC; he and his wife Lynette have 3 adult children.