Duluth has maintained the lowest crime rate in Gwinnett for many of those years and the department is known around the state of Georgia as one of the best. The Chief’s dedication and love for this community is unmatched. Duluth is privileged to have such an outstanding individual leading those who protect us each and every day. Chief Belcher’s leadership style, humble personality and the way he interacts with the public has gained him respect and loyalty among his officers, City staff and the community. Our Police Department consistently is the first to implement things in Gwinnett County and even the State. Mayor Nancy Harris said, “I have witnessed the Duluth Police Department progress from a small rural town police station to an innovative and respected organization. These changes did not occur overnight. Chief Belcher’s leadership encouraged continuous learning and training to make sure the Public Safety Department was progressive and highly qualified to meet the changes in a city that grew rapidly. We have Chief Belcher to thank for keeping the safety of Duluth citizens the most important priority in Duluth “.
Chief Belcher is a hands-on Chief. He trusts his supervisors to handle any situation but is always around to help if anything is needed. Lt. Jackie Hood said, “I remember an incident which happened a couple of years ago where a lookout of a stolen cab came out. Chief happened to be in the area and ended up chasing the driver all over the City, until the driver jumped out and ran. Chief jumped out and ran after the driver who was a pretty young kid, tackled him all while rolling down a hill. I don’t think there are a whole lot of Chiefs that have been working as long as he has that will still get out there and do that. Even as recently as a few months ago, Chief jumped out on an accident scene and helped the officers drag a female to safety from a burning car.” Major Don Woodruff added, “I have always admired at how he never sat around drinking coffee in the office. He always has been a lead the way manager. He would go on patrol, make arrests, and get in fights and chases. He would come to training and do what everybody else did.
A large part of what makes Duluth a wonderful community is its Police Department and we hope that Chief Belcher will be serving the community for many more years. When you see Chief Belcher please tell him thank you for his service!
