WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Warner Robins is now down to five top leadership positions that need to be filled after hiring a new police chief Monday night.
"It feels like such a relief to not say Interim Chief and to say this is the newly appointed chief. We have many more to find as far as a permanent person," Mayor LaRhonda Patrick said.
The Warner Robins City Council appointed Wayne Fisher as chief Monday night, selecting him out of 23 applicants.
He takes over for Interim Chief Roy Whitehead who's filled in that role since January.
"I'm here to humbly serve," Fisher said.
Although Fisher got the badge on Monday, he won't move into the chief's office until Wednesday.
"There's a lot of weight to that responsibility," Fisher said.
He started in law enforcement in 1994 after graduating from the Macon Police Academy. Fisher says he never expected to make it this far.
"I viewed it as, if I made the rank as Sergeant and retired as Sergeant then that would be a high water mark," Fisher said.
However, he says his career took him many places, "I've worked with street crimes units. I've worked as a K-9 unit handler, trainer, supervisor, program manager."
Fisher says he prides himself in retiring out of the K-9 division, meaning he surpassed all the ranks. He then served with a sniper unit and collected badges along the way.
"I got promoted to Sergeant, then to Patrol Lieutenant, then to Captain, then to Interim Chief, then Interim Assistant Chief," Fisher said.
As Fisher enters his new role, he says his mindset is similar to when he first started.
"To be the best possible police officer that I can be for the community that we serve," Fisher said.
Now he wants to be the best possible chief for the City of Warner Robins.
"I'm also a servant to our employees and staff, to make sure that we are collectively meeting the goal sets of our agency and the city as a whole," Fisher said.
His goals include expanding technology through their FLOCK and Fusus systems and growing community outreach.
"We've initiated a community impact questionnaire that our officers partake within the community to find out what the needs are, and get feedback from the communities perspective about where we are as an organization," he said.
He says he also wants to expand programs that engage the youth. He says their next big project is the public safety cadet program.
Mayor Patrick says the state police's chief association, Interim Chief Roy Whitehead and a panel looked for a police chief with a balanced skill set.
"The person that would really fit in with the quality, with the culture here we're having in the City of Warner Robins, the police department, and the history of the mission we have moving forward," Patrick said.
Fisher says he's thankful for community support for giving him the push to apply.
Fisher says they've brought in about 23 officers this year. He says he plans to keep building on that number and making sure their force reflects the community it serves.