Former Georgia deputy chief named Fayetteville's new police chief

Fayetteville City Manager Doug Hewett announced Gina Hawkins will serve as Fayetteville's new police chief at a media conference on Tuesday. Her start date is August 14.

“Selecting the new chief is one of the most difficult decisions I have been faced with since becoming the City Manager and one that I don‘t take lightly," Hewett said. "Gina brings a wealth of different experiences to this job and I look forward to what she will be able to accomplish with all of the great officers and staff who we have in our police department."

She was previously a deputy chief in Clayton County, Ga., and led the field operations and support services commands for a county of more than 260,000 residents.

Hawkins earned a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from Georgia State University and a Master of Science in Management from Johns Hopkins University. She is a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police at Boston University and is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy.

She will oversee the entire law enforcement agency, which is comprised of 433 sworn officers and 187 non-sworn personnel and serves a population of 208,149 citizens.

"Fayetteville is a great city heading in the right direction, and I am excited to serve and work with its residents,” Hawkins said.