DUBLIN, Ga. — Dublin City Schools has a new safety director, and he's a familiar face in the city.
According to a news release from the school district, former Dublin Police Chief Tim Chatman has been hired as Dublin City Schools' new Safety Director, starting in the 2022-2023 school year.
After starting his career in East Dublin and then becoming the first Black detective in the Dublin Police Department, Chatman worked for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for 22 years.
“I’m proud for the opportunity to bring my experience to the table,” Chatman said, “to continue the pathway Dublin City Schools has already set in motion. I’m excited about the opportunity to serve."
The release says Chatman is a 1980 graduate of West Laurens High School, a 1982 graduate of Macon Technical School in Constructional Design, a 1985 graduate of the Middle Ga. Police Academy, a graduate of the GBI Narcotic Agents Academy, a graduate of the GBI Special Agents Academy, and a 2002 graduate of the American International Polygraph Institute in Atlanta Ga. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity.
Chatman also serves as Senior Pastor at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in Ailey, Ga., according to the district's release. He attended three years at the Bryant Theological Seminary, and obtained his B.A. from the Open Bible College in South Carolina. Chatman is a 2012 graduate of the Epistle Institute in Atlanta, Ga.
“We are extremely excited to add someone the caliber of Chief Chatman to our Dublin City Schools family,” said Superintendent Dr. Fred Williams. “He brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and, most importantly, care and concern for young people that will be invaluable as we look to continue to move the needle on student achievement.”
Chatman announced his plans to retire from the Dublin Police Department last October. He will be retiring in May and has been chief since Jan. 2016.
Chatman said last year that he had been thinking about retiring for some time, and he thinks he has carried the city to a higher height.