With roughly six months remaining before his planned departure as chief of the Columbus Police Department, Chief Stoney Mathis says his focus hasn’t shifted to retirement. Instead, he remains focused on what he believes matters most: reducing crime, strengthening the department, supporting officers and leaving the agency in a stronger position than when he arrived.
In an exclusive sit-down interview with CNAW2News.com, Mathis reflected on the challenges of leading one of Georgia’s largest law enforcement agencies, the progress made over the past three years, and the work he believes still lies ahead.
Building a department from the ground up
When Mathis accepted the position as Columbus police chief more than three years ago, he said he inherited a department facing significant challenges.
According to Mathis, morale was low, staffing shortages were severe and specialized units had largely been dismantled to keep patrol positions filled.
“When I came into Columbus, they were struggling to the point of almost being broken,” Mathis said.
Rather than tackling one issue at a time, he said he implemented what he describes as a “multifaceted approach” centered around four priorities:
- Improving morale
- Recruiting officers
- Reducing crime
- Rebuilding trust with the community
The first step, he said, was fixing recruiting.
Mathis personally completed the department’s old police application, which stretched nearly 50 pages and took roughly four hours to complete.
He quickly realized the hiring process itself was driving away applicants.
“We streamlined the application process,” he said. “We did not lower standards.”
The department shortened the application to about 12 pages, cutting completion time to roughly 45 minutes. Combined with a $5,000 pay increase for officers and dispatchers and a stronger social media recruiting campaign, Mathis said the department began seeing measurable improvements.
Today, CPD has approximately 380 officers with dozens more in various stages of academy or field training.
“We’re not completely full, but we’re close.”
Difficult decisions come with leadership
Although recruiting and rebuilding the agency remain among his proudest accomplishments, Mathis said the hardest responsibilities of being chief involve people—not crime statistics.
He described terminating an employee as one of the most difficult decisions because of the long-term impact it has on an officer’s career.
“When you terminate someone in law enforcement, you’re changing their livelihood,” he said.
Promotion decisions, he added, can be equally difficult because multiple qualified candidates often compete for very limited openings.
“Usually there’s only one or two positions and you’ve got several people deserving of them.”
Rebuilding specialized units
Another major accomplishment, according to Mathis, was restoring specialized enforcement teams.
When he arrived, many had been eliminated.
Today, the department once again has dedicated units including:
- Community Policing
- K-9
- Tactical Team
- Gang Unit
- Narcotics Unit
Those teams work alongside patrol officers using crime data and predictive analytics to determine where officers should be deployed before crime occurs.
“We can almost predict where crime is going to occur,” Mathis explained.
Analysts study patterns involving locations, times and recurring trends to strategically position officers in high-crime areas.
He acknowledged criminals often shift locations when police presence increases but said officers continually adjust deployment strategies to stay ahead.
Crime trends moving downward
Violent crime remains one of the biggest concerns among Columbus residents.
Mathis believes the department’s strategy is producing measurable results.
According to the chief:
- Overall Part I crime has declined approximately 37% since he took office.
- Violent crimes have fallen by roughly 50%.
- Homicides are significantly lower than previous years.
At the time of the interview, Mathis said Columbus had recorded seven homicides compared to 15 during the same period last year.
He also noted every homicide this year had resulted in arrests.
“If you commit murder in the city of Columbus, you have about a 99 percent chance of getting caught.”
While praising detectives and patrol officers, Mathis repeatedly emphasized that any success belongs to the officers working the streets.
“It’s not Stoney Mathis. It’s the police officers.”
Community policing remains central
Throughout the interview, Mathis repeatedly returned to one recurring theme: relationships.
He believes community policing cannot replace proactive enforcement—but neither can exist without the other.
“You have to do both simultaneously,” he said.
Since becoming chief, CPD created a dedicated community policing unit that works alongside enforcement teams to build relationships with neighborhoods.
Mathis said residents are increasingly sharing surveillance footage, Ring camera videos and tips that help solve crimes.
“We’re building that trust.”
He also praised Sergeant Katina Williams and the department’s community policing team for organizing outreach efforts, including community events such as “Fishing with a Cop.”
Mathis hopes future leaders continue expanding outreach, particularly programs serving the homeless population through partnerships with nonprofits and mental health resources.
Supporting officers beyond the badge
Mathis also spent significant time discussing officer wellness.
Recent officer-involved shootings—including incidents where both an officer and a K-9 were shot—highlighted the emotional burden officers often carry.
After critical incidents, involved officers undergo counseling before returning to duty.
The department also conducts group debriefings where officers discuss what they experienced.
“This is a tough business,” Mathis said.
He noted chronic exposure to traumatic scenes can eventually lead to post-traumatic stress.
The department now employs an in-house clinician to assist officers and community members alike.
“We have a really robust mental health program because I think the mental health of our police officers is just as important as the physical health.”
Family events, quarterly meetings with command staff and open communication are also part of his strategy for improving morale and retaining experienced officers.
Staffing still depends on competitive pay
Despite improved staffing numbers, Mathis believes compensation remains the department’s biggest obstacle.
He argues Columbus officers earn substantially less than neighboring agencies.
“We’re competing with Opelika, LaGrange and Auburn, who all pay about $10,000 more.”
His recommendation for the next chief is straightforward:
Fight for a 10% pay raise across public safety.
That includes police officers, firefighters, sheriff’s deputies and 911 dispatchers.
Without competitive salaries, Mathis said retaining experienced personnel will continue to be difficult.
Addressing juvenile crime
Mathis also expressed concern over juvenile crime, particularly vehicle break-ins and shoplifting.
He believes many young offenders face few immediate consequences after being arrested.
“We catch 12- and 13-year-olds out at two or three in the morning breaking into cars, and there’s really no consequences.”
Mathis called for stronger intervention programs involving parents, counseling and accountability while encouraging parents to know where their children are during late-night hours.
“It’s not always to prevent them from doing something wrong,” he said. “It’s for their safety.”
Evaluating the Uptown curfew
Mathis also defended the city’s seasonal Uptown curfew.
Although still relatively new, he believes early results have been encouraging.
The policy, he stressed, is not designed to keep teenagers away from Uptown.
Instead, it requires minors to be accompanied by an adult.
Business owners and visitors have largely expressed support, according to Mathis.
“It wasn’t so much violent crime. It was a lot of petty crime.”
The department plans to evaluate crime trends around Labor Day to determine whether the curfew should return next summer or possibly be expanded.
Preparing for a new chapter
As Columbus prepares for both a new mayor and eventually a new police chief, Mathis believes the department is positioned for a smooth transition.
“I think the police department’s stable.”
His advice to his successor is simple:
“Be present.”
Mathis said leaders should spend time with officers, remain visible and remember that patrol officers—not administrators—are the ones serving the community every day.
“Treat your police officers with the utmost respect because they’re typically going to treat the citizens the way you’re treating them.”
Looking beyond Columbus
Although his tenure as chief is nearing its conclusion, Mathis says his work in law enforcement is far from over.
He hopes to continue advocating statewide for improved retirement benefits, expanded mental health resources and better healthcare for officers.
He pointed to studies showing police officers have significantly shorter life expectancies than the general population.
“I want to change that for the state of Georgia.”
A final message
Before ending the interview, Mathis reflected on the community he says has embraced him over the past three years.
“I’ve fallen in love with the citizens of Columbus,” he said.
He credited officers, dispatchers, community members, elected officials, clergy and local businesses for helping move the city forward.
“Our crime is down 37 percent in three years, and that’s not been easy,” Mathis said. “But I truly believe Columbus can become one of the safest cities in the state of Georgia.”
As his final months as chief approach, Mathis says his priorities remain unchanged: support his officers, continue reducing crime and leave the Columbus Police Department stronger than he found it.