DeKalb’s New Public Safety Leader’s Mandate: Cut the Budget

In announcing Alexander’s promotion Thursday to Deputy Chief Operating Officer in charge of Public Safety, interim Chief Executive Officer Lee May said, “What we have here today is a unified front with the Board of Commissioners and the Office of the CEO in lockstep on this.”

County Commissioner Rader describes it another way: “My acquiescence to that was really more in anticipation of future administrative changes that would yield the consolidation and the benefits of an administrative chief in that role.”The audio of the story as broadcast.

  With the county budget planning process underway, Rader expects big things — things he says did not happen under the previous public safety director, Wiz Miller. “I would hope that he would look at common functions, things like purchasing, fleet management, grants management and other areas where, instead of having separate functions in each of the departments, he would be able to consolidate that,” said Rader.

Commissioner Larry Johnson stood by the Chief’s side as the promotion was announced. No other DeKalb commissioners returned our request for comment before deadline.