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- calendar_today October 14, 2026
Columbus Police Chief Stoney Mathis to Retire at Year's End
Columbus, Ga. — The Columbus Police Department will undergo a leadership change as Police Chief Stoney Mathis prepares to retire at the end of 2026. A ceremony honoring Mathis for his three and a half years of service took place at the Public Safety Building, marking his impact on the department and the community.
Mathis' Path to the Helm of the Columbus Police Department
Mathis initially assumed the role of interim chief in May 2023. By October of the same year, he was officially named the full-time Columbus police chief. At the time of his appointment, the police department faced significant staffing shortages and rising violent crime rates—a period that presented notable challenges for any incoming leader.
Leadership Amid Challenges
Reflecting on his initial impression upon joining the department, Mathis remarked, "When I first came into the department, I was anticipating a broken department, and I found that although they appeared to be broken, it was just fragmented." According to Sgt. Katina Williams, Mathis's energetic leadership provided the direction many in the department were seeking. "The guy that came in here, he came with a lot of energy, and hopefully he won’t take that energy away with him because he’s got a CPD in a great place," she said. "He came in here. He said he was going to do some things, he did those things and so much more."
Focus on Crime Reduction and Police Staffing
Mayor Skip Henderson credited Mathis with making measurable strides in several key areas, including boosting police staffing and reducing violent crime in Columbus. "If you measure just by success in the numbers, the number of police officers that have been added, the way the violent crime has gone down, the success of having more people making contact with people in the in the streets—I can’t imagine anybody who would have been more successful in getting those items accomplished than what Chief Mathis has done," Henderson noted.
Voices of Concern and Controversy
Despite recognition for improvements, Mathis’s leadership faced criticism from some community figures. At a city council meeting, Rev. Johnny Flakes III, representing the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, raised concerns regarding the administration's accountability and the handling of complaints. Flakes stated, "The chief of police and this council has had no problem with taking credit for successes for debatable numbers when it comes to crime reduction within the city. However, regarding holding the police chief accountable for facing several internal and public complaints, it appears the double-standard culture practices still continues."
Addressing these concerns, Mathis responded, "To be quite honest, that group of people have been against me from day one. But the numbers don't lie. At some point, they could have looked at the numbers and said, this community is safer today than it was four years ago."
A Unique Approach to Police Leadership
Sgt. Williams acknowledged that Mathis had his own style. "He just didn’t say things the way people wanted him to say it," she said. "He just wasn’t a politically correct, I guess, in some of the things that he was saying. And some people just they didn’t get it. They didn’t get him or his style of speaking or the way he put a message out."
Legacy in Columbus Law Enforcement
As Columbus now prepares for a new era in police leadership, Mathis's tenure will be remembered for navigating the department through fragmented times, working toward crime reduction, and addressing staffing needs. While his leadership style has sparked debate, his focus on public safety, community engagement, and measurable outcomes has left a significant imprint on the Columbus Police Department.
Source: wrbl.com.
