President Joe Biden on Thursday nominated police chiefs in Savannah and Perry and a former DeKalb County sheriff to serve as U.S. marshals in Georgia’s three federal court districts.
Each must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate before taking their post. The men would oversee operations of the U.S. Marshals Service in their districts, including protecting courts, transporting prisoners, pursuing fugitives and serving federal arrest warrants.
Savannah Police Chief Roy Minter Jr., who has led that department since 2018, would be the marshal for the Southern District of Georgia. It includes 43 counties with courthouses in Savannah, Augusta, Brunswick, Dublin, Statesboro and Waycross.
Mayor Van Johnson told the Savannah Morning News that Minter will remain police chief until he is confirmed, which could take months. Minter was previously police chief in Peoria, Arizona, and Denton, Texas. He earlier worked in Houston and Aurora, Colorado.
Minter’s nomination comes amid an increase in shootings and other violent crimes in Savannah. A survey of more than 250 Savannah officers the police department conducted last fall showed many were dissatisfied with its leadership and felt their personal safety was not a priority.
