Anita Allen appointed as Mableton’s first police chief

The Mableton City Council has unanimously appointed Anita Allen as the inaugural police chief for the city’s new police department. The decision, reached in a 7-0 vote, tasks Allen with the design, staffing, and implementation of the department as the city prepares for full operations.

Allen brings over 25 years of law enforcement and public safety experience to the role. Her previous leadership positions include serving as police chief at Albany State University and Fort Valley State University, as well as a 12-year tenure with the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office. She also served as the first Black woman president of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.

The new department will fall under the city’s public safety division, which oversees code enforcement, emergency management, disaster response, and addressing homelessness. The city aims to have the department fully operational by June 1, 2027, and is currently working to secure a location for a permanent police headquarters.