DeKalb County has announced the retirement of Joseph H. “Jack” Lumpkin, Sr., who serves as Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Director of Public Safety. Lumpkin will retire on December 31, 2025, after serving since January 2018.
CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said, “Director Lumpkin has elevated the standard for public safety in DeKalb County. 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.”
Lumpkin’s role included oversight of several public safety departments such as Police, Fire Rescue, 911 Communications, Emergency Management Agency, Medical Examiner’s Office, and Animal Services. He focused on removing systemic barriers and implementing best practices across these divisions.
Under his guidance:
– The county reversed a five-year trend of annual sworn officer loss and introduced a pay and incentive package that led to a 106% increase in applications and a 31% rise in police hires.
– He advocated for the approval and construction of the Real Time Crime Center.
– The Fire Rescue Department improved its Insurance Services Office rating to place it among the top three percent nationally.
– Animal Services reduced staff attrition from 47.13% to 13.95%.
– Operational transparency was increased at the Medical Examiner’s Office.
– Training and communication were enhanced within Emergency Management.
Before joining DeKalb County, Lumpkin served as Chief of Police for Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department. His career is based on principles such as Community Oriented Government Problem Solving and collaboration with communities.
He has also served on national boards including the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), among others.
“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.”
Lumpkin will assist with transition efforts through February 2026 while DeKalb County prepares further announcements about succession plans.
Recent figures show that DeKalb County schools enrolled about 98,287 students during the 2022–23 school year; this represented a decrease in enrollment by approximately 2.2% compared to the previous year (https://www.gadoe.org/). Additionally, white students accounted for roughly 14% of all students enrolled during that period (https://www.gadoe.org/).
