Special Assistant to the President

Assistant Chief Shawn L. Jones joined the Memphis Police Department in September of 2021.  He oversees all administrative functions of the police department.  Those responsibilities include, managing the department’s budget, human resources, hiring, employee training, policy development, the acquisition of new technology, and the 911 Communications Center.

During the past 18-months, Assistant Chief Jones, oversaw the implementation of the agency’s automated timekeeping system (Kronos), the automated filed training officers reporting system, a new web based uniform ordering system (Galls), the newly designed patrol vehicle and take-home vehicle program, the new written directive format, and hired more than 280 new recruits in calendar year 2022.

In May of 2017, Shawn joined the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.  There, he oversaw the agency’s Law Enforcement Division. His responsibilities included managing the Warrant Service Unit, the Prisoner Transport Unit, the Criminal Investigations Unit, the K-9 Unit, the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) Unit and S.W.A.T. operations.

In this role, he grew the S.W.AT. team to tier 2 status, started the agency’s drone Unit, reduced the warrant backlog by more than 80%, and incorporated web-based technology to support annual sex offender verification.

Shawn retired from the Atlanta Police Department after 30 years of service.  He was appointed to the rank of Assistant Police Chief on January 1, 2015.  Shawn joined the Department in 1986 and he was assigned to the Zone Four Precinct after graduating from the police academy.  In 1993, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and assigned to the Zone Six police precinct as a patrol supervisor.  In June 1997, Shawn was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and worked as the Zone Two Day Watch patrol commander.

After six months, Shawn was assigned to the Atlanta Police Academy. He served in that role from November 1997 to June 2002.  There, he managed recruit training, and officer certification and testing for dispatchers.  Moreover, he oversaw the implementation of the department’s first Citizen’s Police Academy, modified physical fitness standards and incorporated driver simulation training for Atlanta police recruits.

From 2002 to 2004, he was assigned to the Field Operations Division as the assistant Zone One police precinct commander. In this role, he developed enforcement strategies that led to a 7 percent reduction in Part I crimes, one of the largest reductions of crime in Northwest Atlanta since 1996.

In March 2004, he was selected to serve as the project manager for the Department’s Accreditation Unit. Under his leadership, the Department quickly received accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. He also successfully updated nearly 100 written directives and standard operation procedures.

In February 2006, Shawn was assigned to command the Personnel Services unit. In this role, he oversaw the successful implementation of automated timekeeping (KRONOS). He also served as the police department’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission coordinator.

In May 2007, he was appointed to the rank of Police Major and assigned to the Corporate Services Section. In this position, he managed the Atlanta Police Department’s Background and Recruitment Unit’s and hired a record setting 700 police recruits. As a Major, he also participated in the International Association of Chiefs of Police focus group and helped to develop a web campaign that positively promoted policing.

From 2008 to 2010, he commanded the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport police precinct. Under his leadership, Part I crimes at the airport precinct dropped nearly 20 percent in 2009. At the airport, he managed 153 employees that included the K-9 unit, the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit, mobile and fixed post officers, police dispatchers and administrative support employees. He also played an active role in the planning and implementation of the airport’s multimillion dollar rental car center and led security planning for the facility.

In January 2010, he was appointed to the rank of Deputy Chief. In this role, he was responsible for managing the Department’s Criminal Investigation Division. Under his leadership, major crimes reached historic lows, dropping 18 percent since 2009. In 2013, the homicide unit successfully solved many cases and reached a clearance rate of 85 percent.

Assistant Chief Jones earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communications from Morris Brown College and a Master of Public Administration from Troy University.