DeKalb County announces retirement of Director of Public Safety Joseph Lumpkin

DECATUR,GA– Today, DeKalb County announced the retirement of Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Director of Public Safety, Joseph H. “Jack” Lumpkin, Sr. Director Lumpkin has served DeKalb County since January 2018, bringing more than four decades of national law enforcement leadership, transformative community engagement strategies, and a steadfast commitment to public safety excellence.

“Director Lumpkin has elevated the standard for public safety in DeKalb County,” said CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson. “His leadership, grounded in integrity, accountability, and innovation, has strengthened our departments, improved trust with the community, and positioned DeKalb as a model for modern, transparent, and responsive public safety operations.”

As Deputy COO, Director Lumpkin has been responsible for strategically enhancing the day-to-day service delivery of all DeKalb County Public Safety departments. His vision focused on eliminating systemic barriers, strengthening internal and external customer service, and embedding data-driven, industry best practices across the DeKalb County Police Department, Fire Rescue Department, 911 Communications, Emergency Management Agency, Medical Examiner’s Office, and Animal Services.

Under the leadership and advisement of Director Lumpkin, public safety departments:

• Reversed a five-year trend of annual sworn officer loss and implemented comprehensive police pay and incentive package that has produced a 106% increase in applications and a 31% rise in police hires. 
• Advocated for the approval and advised during construction of the Real Time Crime Center. 
• Reinforced DeKalb County Fire Rescue’s standard of excellence, improved the Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating that places DCFR in the top three percent of fire departments in the United States. 
• Achieved operational improvements in Animal Services, reducing attrition from 47.13% to 13.95%. 
• Fortified operational excellence and transparency in the DeKalb Medical Examiner’s Office which supported and sustained transparent forensic services, which improved accountability and case processing.
• Enhanced leadership preparedness, training, and public communication in DeKalb Emergency Management. 

Before joining DeKalb County, Director Lumpkin served as Chief of Police for the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department (SCMPD). His decades of leadership reflect a professional philosophy rooted in Community Oriented Government Problem Solving, co-production with the community, Dr. J.W. Fanning’s Pillars of Leadership, and the Peelian Principles of Policing. His operational approach has contributed to significant advancements in crime reduction and public confidence.

Director Lumpkin’s influence extends well beyond DeKalb County. He previously served on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), is a past Regional Vice President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) and is a life member of IACP and NOBLE. He is also a member of the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), a former member of the National Association of Black County Officials, as well as a former advisory board member for the National Drug Court Institute. For more than a decade, he served on the Georgia Governor’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.

A recognized scholar-practitioner, Director Lumpkin is a graduate of Leadership Georgia, the FBI National Academy, the FBI’s Executive Leadership Institute, the Administrative Officers Course of the Southern Police Institute, and the Georgia Command College, among numerous other national leadership programs.

“It has been an honor and privilege to serve the residents of DeKalb County and to work alongside the dedicated men and women who protect and support this community each day,” said Director Lumpkin. “I am deeply proud of the progress we achieved together and grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the County’s long-standing commitment to public safety excellence.”

Director Lumpkin will retire from his position on December 31, 2025. He will support transition efforts through February 2026. DeKalb County will announce transition plans in the coming weeks.