For Brooks Town Councilman Lewis Harper retirement after a career in law enforcement was not enough. Harper was recently hired as the new police chief in Chattahoochee Hills.
Harper’s career in law enforcement to date spans more than three decades. He started work in College Park in 1973 and retired from the department in July 2006.
Harper said he was contacted in November about assuming the position of interim chief in the south Fulton County city.
“I was enjoying being retired and had built a little workshop,” Harper said, noting that he subsequently applied for the chief’s job and was hired in April. “I enjoy the challenge and I was still interested in what happens and the challenges of police work. I think Chatt Hills can benefit from my experience and I think I can bring those years of experience to the table.”
That experience included 33 years with College Park law enforcement with the last 10 years as Deputy Chief supervising 150 employees.
Another aspect of Harper’s experience that should meld with the requirements of the job deals with his service on the Brooks Town Council.
A 21-year resident of Brooks, Harper said serving in an elected capacity and being in law enforcement, “Helps me to see both sides from both standpoints, to try to make the two come together as best we can.”
As for his current stint in law enforcement, Harper said there is a substantial difference in College Park and Chattahoochee Hills.
“It’s quiet and a very nice little community. Chatt Hills reminds me a little of Fife,” said Harper. Though an extremely large city geographically covering 33,000 acres, Chatt Hills is truly rural with a population of less than 3,000. Excluding the Serenbe community, the majority of Chatt Hills is similar to the Fife community along Ga. Highway 92 near the Fayette County line where Harper grew up. “The people here are friendly and they go out of their way to look after you. It’s a very close-knit, caring community.”
