Vidalia Police Chief
James Jermon Named
Captain James Jermon was named Chief of the Vidalia Police Department during a called Vidalia City Council meeting on December 3. The promotion comes after Jermon spent the last four months as interim head of the Department following the departure of Police Commissioner Brian Scott. Jermon was unanimously approved by the Council. Mayor Doug Roper commented, “Chief, let me be the first continued from page
one to say congratulations. You have served this city well for over 20 years with dignity, character, honor, and commitment. On behalf of the City Council, we want to say we look forward to watching the Department flourish under your leadership.”
He added, “We are committed to standing with you and behind you to support you in every possible way we can.”
Jermon expressed his gratitude to the Council. “First and foremost, I would like to say thank you to the Council. I also want to thank everyone who was behind me. The people who make me look good are the guys I serve across the hall (in the Vidalia Municipal Complex which houses the Police Department).”
He continued his comments with the promise to remain enthusiastic and diligent in his work as Vidalia Police Chief. “I am going to continue to be passionate in what I do. What you see here is what you all hired, and that won’t change a bit. I’ll come early, and I’ll stay late.”
Jermon began his law enforcement career in the United States Army as a Military Police Officer before becoming a correctional officer with the Georgia State Prison system. He became a police officer for Armstrong State University in 1999, and finally came home to work in the Vidalia Police Department in 2000.
“Besides my hard work, passion for the job, and love for the community, I have had a lot of guidance from veteran officers,” he said. “I must give credit to two individuals in particular: former Chief Frank Waits, who believed in me and put me in a position to succeed, as well as former Commissioner Brian Scott, who also believed in my ability and pushed me to become even better.” Jermon has spent the majority of his career in law enforcement within the City of Vidalia. He said it is an honor to serve and protect a community that he loves, and that he looks forward to doing so to the best of his abilities throughout the remainder of his career. “To the citizens of Vidalia, I can assure you that you are getting a Chief who is going to work hard for you each and every day. You will be treated with the utmost respect, and more importantly, with fairness, impartiality, and without prejudice.”
He encouraged citizens to help in his effort to continue to make Vidalia a wonderful city. “I am also going to need the citizens’ help,” he shared. “When you see something, say something. This is a partnership. ‘Working with the community’ is the Vidalia Police Department’s motto, and if we all work in harmony, this community can become the greatest in the state of Georgia.”
Also during the called meeting, Council members unanimously approved the purchase of a new fire truck for the Vidalia Fire Department. The truck costs $290,000, while the equipment for the truck will add $64,018.71 to the price. In compliance with the recommendation of the Fire Department and City Manager Nick Overstreet, the Council approved the allocation of $357,000 to cover the current cost of the fire truck and any other expenses that may arise. This funding will be covered through Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST).
