The City of Griffin Hires Interim Chief of Police

City Manager Jessica O’Connor has hired Chief Connie Sampson as Interim Chief of Police of the Griffin, Georgia Police Department. Chief Sampson’s first day on the job will be Wednesday, July 5, 2023. The Interim Chief of Police is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Police Department and the management and direction of a workforce of 83 sworn officers and 17 civilian personnel. Chief Sampson will fill in as Interim Chief in the absence of current Police Chief Mike Yates. 

Chief Connie Sampson

“The Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police was a tremendous resource for us in identifying Chief Sampson as our Interim Chief. Chief Sampson’s experience, leadership, communication skills, and dedication to training make her ideally suited to serve all the citizens of Griffin,” said Jessica O’Connor, City Manager. 

Chief Sampson is a thirty-year law enforcement veteran with extensive knowledge of state and federal laws and regulations as it relates to law enforcement. She has guided and directed accreditation and certification processes in her previous employment that led to achieving the “Triple Crown of Professionalism”. In 2017, Chief Sampson retired from Georgia State University as an Associate Vice President for Critical Infrastructure, Building Security, and Safety, after beginning her career with the university as Police Chief in 1996. Chief Sampson has served in an interim capacity throughout the Southeast at Maryville College, Young Harris College, and Forsyth Tech. She is a University of Georgia graduate, and also holds Masters Degrees in Criminal Justice and Public Administration from Brenau University and Georgia State University, respectively. She currently serves as an adjunct professor in Criminal Justice and Social Science at Piedmont University in Athens, Georgia. 

“I have worked in several different communities and demonstrated success by guiding and directing different groups within the community to achieve a common goal of heightened safety and security for the entire community. I look forward to serving the citizens of Griffin and working with the fine men and women of the Griffin Police Department,” said Chief Sampson. “I am confident that Chief Sampson’s vast experience and knowledge will allow us to fulfill one of the goals of the City of Griffin to improve the quality of life, as our primary responsibility is to those who live, work, visit or otherwise come in contact with our City,” said O’Connor.