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DEKALB COUNTY, GA— On Tuesday, Sept. 22, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the renaming of the DeKalb County Police Department’s East Precinct at 2484 Bruce Street in the City of Lithonia as the Chief Eddie Moody Precinct. The item was presented to the Board by District 5 Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson.
Eddie Moody, the first African American Chief of Police in DeKalb County, dedicated some three decades of his professional career to the DeKalb County Police Department. Moody, now 72, began his service with the Department in 1973 as a clerk typist and rose through the ranks to ultimately serve as Chief of Police from 2001 to 2004. He retired from DeKalb County in 2004. Eight years later, he came out of retirement to serve from 2012 to 2014 as police chief of the City of Lithonia, followed by serving as the city’s Administrator and Director of Public Safety until 2016.
“Chief Eddie Moody’s historic service as DeKalb County’s first African American Chief of Police represents an important chapter in our County’s history,” said Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson. “His leadership, dedication, and commitment to public service left a lasting impact on the DeKalb County Police Department and the community he served. Renaming the East Precinct in his honor ensures that his legacy and contributions will be remembered for generations to come.”
“DeKalb County Police Chief Gregory Padrick said he served under Mood’s Having had the privilege of serving under Chief Eddie Moody, I saw firsthand his leadership, professionalism, and commitment to the people of DeKalb County,” said DeKalb County Police Chief Gregory Padrick. “As our first African American police chief, he broke barriers, strengthened this Department, and created opportunities for generations of officers who followed him. Naming the East Precinct in his honor is a fitting tribute to his nearly three decades of service and the lasting impact he made on our Department and community.”
During his tenure, Chief Moody held numerous positions of increasing responsibility and became a respected leader within the Department. As Chief of Police, Moody provided leadership during a consequential period in the Department’s history and worked to strengthen its professionalism, effectiveness, community engagement, and organizational capacity.
Among his notable contributions were the creation of the Junior Police Academy and the establishment of the Department’s Crime Analysis Unit. Chief Moody also played a significant leadership role in major criminal investigations.
PHOTO PROVIDED/DEKALB COUNTY