The City of DeKalb announced a new police chief at the regular meeting of the city council Tuesday night.
The DeKalb City Council approved Sgt. Christopher Phelps as the new chief of the DeKalb Police Department.
“DeKalb is lucky to have officer Phelps lead the city’s police force,” said DeKalb mayor Lowell Walker.
Phelps will take the role of chief on August 1, filling the vacant position left after Chris Atkinson resigned in mid-June.
Phelps currently serves as a senior sergeant in the operations division at the Texarkana, Texas Police Department and as an instructor at the Texarkana police academy.
He comes to the DPD with 29 years of law enforcement experience and 18 years in a supervisor role.
Lt. Alexander Norman tendered his resignation the day after Atkinson which left the city with only two officers on staff. Constables Chad Ford and Dillion Gardner as well as the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office agreed to assist in filling the void left by the vacancies.
The city has budgeted for six positions at the police department. They are reviewing applicants to fill the three remaining positions, Walker said.
Christopher Phelps
