MOULTRIE, Ga. — The City of Moultrie announced on Wednesday that acting Police Chief Sean Ladson has been named the city’s police chief.

Ladson has been serving as acting police chief since August 2017, when Police Chief Frank Lang announced plans to retire. Lang was named police chief emeritus at that time, and he began his retirement July 31 of this year.

Ladson, a Colquitt County native, began his law enforcement career in 2002 with the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Department. He left the sheriff’s department for one year to work as the director of security at Colquitt Regional Medical Center. Ladson later returned to the sheriff’s department, where he remained until August 2017. During his time at the sheriff’s department, Ladson worked as a jailer, transport officer, road deputy, a member of the SWAT team, and lieutenant of the Drug Enforcement Team.

One of Ladson’s goals as acting chief was to become more involved in the community, the city said in a press release. He implemented a Chief’s Walk program throughout the neighborhoods within the city.

“This program allows us to meet our citizens within their neighborhoods,” Ladson said.

Other programs Ladson has assisted in developing include Active Shooter Education for Citizens, Citizen’s Firearms and Familiarization Course, Cram the Cruiser, Gang Education, and Trunk or Treat.

“I encourage every officer from patrol, criminal investigations, special operations, marshals, and administration to get out and meet the people our agency serves,” said Ladson.

Future projects for Ladson include a traffic unit to patrol the areas of Veterans Parkway and to better answer calls in those business areas, the addition of a K-9 Unit, expanded patrol positions, and a Wild Game Supper that will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Moultrie/Colquitt County.  

An exciting project Ladson is currently working on includes an electronic forensics crime lab that is in partnership with the Secret Service, the press release said.

“This will be a joint project with the Colquitt County Sheriff’s office,” he said. The lab will not only serve Moultrie and Colquitt County, but will also serve the surrounding cities, counties, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

Since Ladson’s appointment, the number of robberies, burglaries, and thefts have had a considerable decrease, the city said.

“I appreciate the opportunity to continue to build upon the successes the Moultrie police Department has had in the past two years,” Ladson commented. “I have an open-door policy, and any citizen can come to talk to me or call me. I promise to continue to strive to make the Moultrie Police Department a police department known around the state for integrity, service, and justice.”