DeKalb County has officially named Greg Padrick as its new police chief, with a vision to cultivate community trust and improve public safety. Padrick, who filled the role of interim chief earlier in the year, has been part of the DeKalb County Police force since 1997. "I grew up in the area. I spent more than half of my life as a police officer in DeKalb County," Padrick told FOX 5 Atlanta.
With over two decades on the force, Padrick has worked through the ranks, including positions in the patrol division, assistant chief over the uniform patrol division, and he's maintained a focus on strengthening the department both through policy and a sense of familial ties among officers. "I don’t just say that we are a family. I believe it," he asserted in his interview with FOX 5 Atlanta; despite the department grappling with a reduced force, Padrick has encouraged collective spirit and the recruitment effort has elevated the staffing numbers from a low of 530 to about 580.
According to an 11Alive report, Padrick commended his officers in responding to a notable decrease in homicides compared to the previous year. "Obviously, one homicide is one too many, but we are encouraged with the reduction in homicides so far, year to date," he told 11Alive, reinforcing his commitment to reducing violent crime in the area.
Looking ahead, the chief is putting an emphasis on technology and engagement to move the department forward; a soon-to-be-unveiled Real Time Crime Center is expected to be a significant asset improving response times for the officers and Padrick maintains that engagement and trust with the community are pivotal to his mission—Padrick has navigated DeKalb County through difficult times already, including the loss of Officer David Rose in a CDC attack earlier this year. "We take care of one another, and in those tragic times, we got to come together even stronger than ever before," he acknowledged the sacrifice and resilience of his department in comments to 11Alive.
