The Town of East Point had several Town Marshals from 1887 to 1907. According to state records of 1887, Bill No. 133 page 488, Acts & Resolutions of the General Assembly, Section 4, the Town of East Point was to elect their own Town Marshal. Council minutes from this period, state that George Mallory was elected the first Town Marshal of East Point, Georgia. In 1895, 24 year old Charles F. Morris was named Town Marshal and served for an undetermined number of years. In 1907, the Charter Amendment sent to the state legislature and later approved in 1908, provided for changing the Town Marshal to a Police Chief position and added two additional police officers to the force. In 1908, Joe W. Miller was chosen as Chief of Police for East Point, Georgia. Mr. Miller was a resident that lived on the northwest corner of Church St. and Taylor Ave. Chief Miller served as Police Chief from 1908 until 1938 when he died of an illness. William H. Tyler was then chosen as Chief of Police and served from May 1938 until November 8, 1968. Hugh D. Brown was then chosen as Chief of Police on December 16, 1968 and served until May 1, 1973. Earl Godfrey was then chosen as Chief of Police on May 7, 1973 and served until June 29, 1975. Harold Tallant was then chosen as Chief of Police on August 19, 1975 and served until July 1981. John L. McClendon was then chosen as Chief of Police on August 4, 1981 and served until May 15, 1995. Allen W. Harbin was selected as Acting Chief on May 15, 1995 and served until May 6, 1996. Frank L. Brown was then chosen as Chief of Police on May 6, 1996 and served until May 31, 2006.  Leander J. Robinson was then chosen as Chief of Police on June 5, 2006 and continues to serve.

In 1911, a charter amendment officially changed the Community or Town of East Point to a “City” and established a paid water and light commission. Also, under this amendment, the Police Department was granted additional police officers to help grade roads and regulate sanitation rules. Chief Joe Miller permanently assigned a police officer to drive the road grader and ensure that all City streets were smooth. In 1909, Mayor J.C. McKenzie and Police Chief Joe Miller asked the Georgia Railway and Electric Company for permission for all police department personnel to ride free on the railway service to Atlanta. This permission was granted if the City Police Department wore uniforms and were regular paid members and not volunteers. A full uniform had to be worn for this free travel.  (Click here to see the original document giving the permission) In late 1909, Chief Miller let his two police officers buy their own uniforms in order to ride the train service free of charge. Under Chief Miller the Police Department was expanded to six officers. In 1940, three additional officers were added to the force in order to give all officers one day off per month. Until this time, all officers worked twelve hour shifts seven days a week. Off days were given to an officer only after he had reported to work. Off days were not given in advance or scheduled. In 1946, six additional officers were hired to start three eight hour shifts giving officers one off day per week. Off days were then given by seniority. In 1956, thirteen additional police officers were hired to let officers work only five days a week. In 1958, the force was expanded to twenty seven officers. The force has been expanded over the years and is now at an authorized strength of one hundred thirty-nine officers.  

 

Major Bill Logan, click to enlarge

Major Bill Logan is the Department's Historian (Retired)