Rodney Bryant is an American law enforcement officer who served as

Chief of Police A chief of police (COP) is the title given to an appointed official or an elected one in the command hierarchy, chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. A chief of police may also be known as a police chief or somet ...

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

from June 13, 2020, until June 2, 2022.

Education

Bryant earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from

Georgia State University Georgia State University (Georgia State, State, or GSU) is a Public university, public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1913, it is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities. It is al ...

and a Master of Science in administration from

Central Michigan University Central Michigan University (CMU) is a Public university, public research university in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States. It was established in 1892 as a private normal school and became a state institution in 1895. CMU is one of the eigh ...

Career

Before attending college, Bryant joined the

Atlanta Police Department The Atlanta Police Department (APD) is a law enforcement agency in the city of Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. The city shifted from its rural-based Marshal and Deputy Marshal model at the end of the 19th century. In 1873, ...

in 1988 as a peace officer. After earning his bachelor's and master's degree, Bryant served as Police Executive Commander in the City of Atlanta. He was named Assistant Chief of Police in 2017. He was named Sergeant-at-Arms for the

National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) is a membership group of primarily black Law enforcement agency, law enforcement CEOs and command level officials in local, state, county, and federal government. Headquartered ...

in 2016. Bryant became the interim

at the request of Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, following the resignation of Erika Shields, who left her position after the killing of Rayshard Brooks in June 2020. On May 4, 2021, he was appointed chief on a permanent basis.

References

Chiefs of the Atlanta Police Department Georgia State University alumni Central Michigan University alumni African-American police officers Year of birth missing (living people) Living people 21st-century African-American people {{Atlanta-stub