Dalton narrows police chief search to pair of current officers

DALTON, Georgia (WDEF) – The Dalton Public Safety Commission has whittled down the candidates for police chief to a pair of finalists.

They are both from inside the Department, Assistant Chief Cliff Cason and Captain Chris Cooke.

One of them will replace Chief Parker, who became the Dalton city administrator in January.

“We have an outstanding police force,” said PSC Chairman Bill Weaver. “I think either of these candidates can take it to even greater heights than where we currently are.”

Assistant Chief Cliff Cason joined the Dalton Police Department as a patrol officer in 1993, serving the agency for more than 24 years. He has served in a number of different roles with the agency, including work as a detective and drug unit detective in the Criminal Investigations Division and division commander in both the Support Services Division and Patrol Division. He was promoted to assistant chief in April 2015 and has served as the acting agency head since Jason Parker’s departure in January. Cason has received a large variety of specialized police command training, including attending the FBI’s National Academy. He has specialized management training from the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Executives’ Research Forum, and the FBI LEEDS (Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar).  Assistant Chief Cason holds a master’s degree in public administration from Columbus State University in Columbus, Ga., and a bachelor’s degree from Covenant College. Assistant Chief Cason is active in the community, including his membership in Dalton’s Civitan Club.

Captain Chris Cooke has served the Dalton Police Department for nearly 22 years, joining the department in July 1996.  Captain Cooke is currently the division commander in Support Services after serving two years as the Patrol Division commander.  Before earning his promotion to the rank of captain, Cooke served in a variety of functions including as a supervisor of the department’s drug unit in the Criminal Investigations Division, a patrol supervisor and district commander, and as the department’s planning and research manager. Captain Cooke holds a master’s degree in public administration from Columbus State University in Columbus, Ga., and a bachelor’s degree from Covenant College in organizational management. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in public administration from Valdosta State University. Cooke has also received a great deal of specialized training including the FBI’s National Academy and management training from the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College, the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Executives’ Research Forum and FBI-LEEDA command leadership institution.

The Public Safety Commission now has 14 days after announcing the finalist to make the selection.

They will either call a special meeting sooner or wait for the regular meeting on May 22nd.